Avalanche Forecast

Low - Uncertainty is due to rapidly fluctuating freezing levels. Uncertainty is due to how the snowpack will react to the forecast weather.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Freezing levels fall from 3000 m to around 1500 m by morning. Precipitation begins as rain and transitions to snow, with 10-20 mm forecast for the Duffy and Coqhuihalla. Allison Pass is likely to receive around 5 mm. Strong to extreme southwest winds. 

FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy with continued snowfall of up to 10 cm. Freezing levels remain around 1500 m. Moderate to strong westerly winds. 

SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy with flurries of up to 5 cm. Freezing levels around 800 m. Moderate westerly winds.

SUNDAY: Clearing skies with scattered flurries possible. Freezing levels remain below 1000 m. Moderate westerly winds. 

High freezing levels and a mix of rain and snow overnight may produce a natural avalanche cycle.

On Wednesday, natural wet avalanches were observed up to size 2.5 in steep terrain features. Natural cornices falls have also been observed within the last 3 days. 

Explosive control produced wind slabs up to size 2 in north and west facing terrain features, failing on the late March crust. 

On Tuesday, a skier remotely triggered two size 1 storm slabs from 2 m away on a northeast aspect at 2000 m in the north of the region. These were 30 cm thick and failed on the underlying melt-freeze crust. 

Up to 30 mm of precipitation overnight with falling freezing levels will create a mixed bag of conditions on Friday, as snow continues to accumulate.

High elevations can expect up to 30 cm of fresh wind affected storm snow, that will likely be redistributed into deeper deposits on north and east facing slopes over a crust or moist snow. Another widespread and supportive crust is buried 30-50 cm deep, below recent settling storm snow. This crust has recently been reactive to human and natural triggers. 

Snow will transition to mixed precipitation and rain as elevation decreases. The lowest elevations will likely hold wet surface snow or a crust from heavy overnight rainfall. The middle and lower snowpack are generally strong and well bonded.

Southern terrain will see minimal new precipitation. Recent storm snow of around 50 cm will likely have a widespread crust or moist snow on the surface from Thursdays warming event. 

• Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
• Don't be too cavalier with decision making, storm slabs may remain sensitive to human triggering.
• Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.