Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Freezing levels are uncertain

Overnight and Wednesday: Some very light precipitation with very strong Northwest winds overnight, becoming moderate Northwest during the day. Freezing level rising to about 1800 metres during the day with some sunny periods.Thursday: Light to moderate Northwest winds with thin high cloud and a chance of sunny periods. Freezing level near 2000 metres.Friday: Warm air trapped at higher elevations. Above freezing temperatures in the alpine with sunny periods.

Natural avalanche size 2.5 reported from the East aspect of Old Glory near Red Mountain Ski Resort, the avalanche was observed from a distance and is suspected to have failed on the November surface hoar layer. Ski cutting resulted in several dry slab avalanches releasing on Northwest aspects up to size 1.5 near Nelson. Moist snow snow-balling was reported from the Kootenay Pass area during a period of strong solar radiation. Weak base layers are suspect, especially where recent storm snow amounts are higher. Wind slab or cornice falls in motion may step down to weak layers near the ground.

There is now about 50-80 cm above the January 8th layer of buried surface hoar and/or melt-freeze crust. Snow profile tests on the buried surface hoar layer have shown moderate sudden planar results. Deeper in the snowpack is a weak layer of surface hoar from the end of November, and in some areas depth hoar or basal facets near the ground. There is a great deal of variation across this region.