Avalanche Forecast
Regions: North Okanagan, Shuswap, South Okanagan.
Evaluate terrain carefully. Steep open slopes may have a buried weak layer capable of producing large avalanches.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Reports from this region have been limited, with a few small slab avalanches over the past week (size 1 to 1.5). However, neighboring regions have reported numerous large to very large natural and human-triggered persistent slab avalanches. Although not as large or likely in this region, triggering persistent slabs is still a concern.
Snowpack Summary
Surface conditions currently include sun crusts, wind-affected snow, and settling powder.
A widespread crust that formed in early February is buried roughly 40 to 80 cm deep, possibly with a weak layer of facets above it. In neighbouring regions, this layer has produced many large avalanches over the past week.
The snowpack below this crust is strong and bonded.
Weather Summary
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.
Sunday
Cloudy with 2 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Choose slopes that are well supported and have limited consequence.
- Persistent slabs have potential to pull back to lower angle terrain.
- This avalanche problem is difficult to trigger but if so, consequences are serious.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
We are uncertain about this problem. A layer of facets on a crust is producing large scary avalanches across the province. It is 40 to 80 cm deep in this region, and potentially triggerable on steep slopes at treeline and above.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 2 - 2.5