Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Due to variable snowpack conditions

The ridge of high pressure should re-emerge for tuesday bringing clear skies for one more day. On Wednesday, expect increased cloud throughout the day. Trace amounts of snow are possible on Thursday. Freezing levels should rise gradually throughout the forecast period from 800m to 1000m on Thursday. Winds will be light and southerly switching to northwesterly by thursday.

Over the weekend widespread natural activity to size 3 was reported. The avalanches occurred in response to a warming pattern that affected much of BC. Avalanche activity has decreased dramatically with the current cooling trend.

Storm snow from the last few weeks is now well settled. In the mid snowpack sits the mid-December surface hoar layer which now lies dormant. At the base of the snowpack basal facets and depth hoar seem fairly widespread in the region. On the weekend there was significant warming that triggered a natural avalanche cycle on this layer. With the more recent cooling, crusts have formed on slopes that were affected by the sun and there has been a general strengthening of the snowpack. In Elk Valley North and the Crowsnest, the average snowpack depth at treeline is 150 cms. In Elk Valley S and the Flathead the snowpack depth is closer to 2 m. If you are traveling in the mountains it's a good time to take stock of layers that are developing on the current surface (crusts/surface hoar) that may become an issue when it finally snows.