Avalanche Forecast

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to rapidly fluctuating freezing levels.

Now that the big warm up has passed we’re moving into a nice diurnal temperature regime with good overnight refreeze.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Freezing level lowering to valley bottom, light to moderate southwest wind, 2 to 5 cm of snow possible.  

MONDAY: Scattered cloud cover at dawn, skies steadily clearing through the day, freezing level rising to about 1500 m, light wind generally out of the southwest, trace of snow possible.

TUESDAY: A few clouds, freezing level rising to about 1500 m, light south wind, no snow expected.

WEDNESDAY: A few clouds, freezing level rising to about 1600 m, moderate south/southwest wind, no snow expected.

On Saturday in the neighbouring North Columbia region there was a pretty spectacular natural cornice failure on the backside of Mt. Albreda that resulted in an avalanche with a crown that is estimated to be 3 to 4 meters in depth.  

No avalanches were reported in this region on Friday. 

5-15 cm of recent convective snow and moderate southwesterly winds have formed fresh wind slabs below alpine ridgetops. Dry snow can be found on north aspects and crusty snow surfaces exist on solar aspects. Large cornices loom over alpine ridgetops.

A persistent weak layer made up of surface hoar at treeline elevations and a crust with facets in the alpine on solar aspects can be found down 50-150 cm in some parts of the region. No recent avalanches have been reported on these layers. 

• Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
• When a thick, melt-freeze surface crust is present, avalanche activity is unlikely.