Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Synopsis: An arctic high pressure ridge in the interior of BC will cool things down before the next Pacific frontal wave arrives on Monday..Tonight: Cloudy, freezing level at valley bottom, winds light, from the south west.Sunday: Sunny with some cloudy periods, no precipitation in the forecast, freezing level around 1300 metres, light ridge top winds from the south west.Monday: Cloudy with flurries, freezing level around 1300 metres, winds light to moderate from the south east.Tuesday: Cloudy with snow, 10 to 20 cm in the forecast, freezing level at 1400 metres, winds light to moderate from the south.

No reports of avalanches from yesterday Caution should be exercised on solar aspects as the spring sun begins to heat things up. Cornices are becoming large and mature and deserve serious respect.

Up to 60cm of snow has fallen in parts of the forecast region in the past 7 days. This storm snow combined with winds continues to produce wind slabs at tree line and above. A well developed sun crust has formed on solar aspects and, prior to this storm, surface hoar formed on shady, sheltered slopes. At lower elevations, a melt-freeze (or rain) crust can be expected in most areas. Below the storm snow, the snowpack is generally well settled from the recently warm weather. Two persistent weak layers remain a concern but these have become less reactive recently. The early-March crust/facet layer is down roughly 1m and the early February layer is down 1.5m or more. These layers are now deep enough that human-triggering is unlikely, but smaller avalanches or cornices failures have the potential to step down to these layers, and,.... cornices are definitely getting larger these days. Lowered freezing levels are good for overnight recovery of the snowpack below 1700 metres. Daytime warming could produce loose, wet avalanches below 1700m especially on steep solar aspects.