Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Blue River, Cariboos, Clearwater, Clemina, McBride, McGregor, North Monashee, North Rockies, Premier, Quesnel, Renshaw, Robson, Sugarbowl.
Cold and calm conditions have preserved loose, soft snow in many areas. Avalanches remain possible on slopes with cohesive surface snow, likely from wind or sun.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
Several size 1 skier-triggered avalanches have been reported over the previous week. These avalanches have occurred on various aspects and elevations, primarily failing on crusts in south-facing terrain and on facets or surface hoar in north-facing terrain. The failures have occurred at depths ranging from 20 to 40 cm.
Other reports suggest small loose dry avalanches have been reactive in steep terrain where the upper snowpack remains loose and unconsolidated.
Snowpack Summary
Ongoing cold, clear, and dry conditions have largely preserved soft surface conditions, while variable wind-affected surfaces are present in exposed terrain at treeline and above.
Various layers buried at the end of January are now approximately 20 to 50 cm below the surface. These include sun crusts on sun-exposed slopes, surface hoar in shaded terrain at treeline and below, and weak faceted grains elsewhere.
Beneath these buried layers, the snowpack remains weak and faceted due to the prolonged dry conditions throughout January.
The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-settled and strong.
Weather Summary
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy with isolated flurries, trace to 5 cm snow. 5 to 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -18 °C.
Monday
Sun and cloud. 5 to 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Tuesday
Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -12 °C.
Wednesday
Increasing cloud. Increasing 20 to 50 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Back off if you encounter whumpfing, hollow sounds, or shooting cracks.
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
- Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't formed a slab.
Avalanche Problems
Persistent Slabs
Weak layers, 20 to 50 cm deep, remain a concern, especially where cohesive slabs exist above, most likely found in wind-loaded terrain or sun-exposed slopes, where the solar effect has settled the upper snowpack into a cohesive slab.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2.5