Avalanche Forecast

Good

Tuesday: Cloudy with scattered flurries. Light westerly winds. Freezing level 1500m.Wednesday: Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. Light northwest winds. Freezing level 1600m.Thursday: Flurries with occasional sunny breaks. Light north winds. Freezing level 1800m.

Recent reports indicate numerous natural avalanches running to size 2.5 on southerly aspects in the alpine. A size 3 natural cornice triggered avalanche was also reported from a east aspect in the alpine on Sunday.

Mainly sunny weather and the freezing level reaching up to 2300m has created moist snow and/or a supportive crust on all aspects and elevations except for high elevation north-facing terrain. This has helped to settle out last week's storm snow accumulations. Moderate west and northwest winds have redistributed what little dry snow still exists at upper elevations into wind slabs immediately lee of ridge crest. Three persistent weak layers exist in the highly variable snowpack of the Cariboos:-The mid-March sun crust/surface hoar layer down 50-80cm still has potential for human-triggering in isolated areas. -The early-March crust/facet/surface hoar layer down around 80-120cm has become less susceptible to human triggering, but still has the capacity to produce large avalanches.-The mid-February crust/facet/surface hoar combo is typically down 150 - 200cm. Direct triggering of this layer has become unlikely, however, cornice fall, a smaller avalanche in motion or prolonged warming may wake this layer up, which would result in very large and destructive avalanches.