Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Blue River, Cariboos, Clearwater, Clemina, McBride, Premier, Quesnel.
Continued light snowfall and moderate to strong southwest wind will keep wind slabs as the primary concern.
Confidence
Low
Avalanche Summary
On Wednesday, a small 20 cm deep slab was triggered by a snowmobile south of Valemount. It failed on surface hoar from mid-December that was preserved on a northwest aspect in the alpine.
Snowpack Summary
30 to 50 cm of snow has fallen this week. At upper elevations, southwesterly wind has redistributed snow to lee features.
A surface hoar layer is now buried 40 to 70 cm down. This layer is spotty and hard to find. It is mostly not triggerable, but in very sheltered treeline and alpine features, it may be possible. Where there isn't surface hoar, there is likely a crust.
Weather Summary
Thursday Night
Cloudy with 10 to 15 cm of snow. 35 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.
Friday
Mainly cloudy. 35 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Saturday
A mix of sun and cloud with 5 to 10 cm of snow ending in the morning. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.
Sunday
A mix of sun and cloud, clearing. 30 to 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
- Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
- The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Investigate for wind-loaded pockets, especially around ridges and open bowls.
Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2