Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 2nd, 2021–Apr 3rd, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Cariboos.

High elevation north aspects hold the best snow but are also the most likely place to encounter wind slabs. Be ready to back off slopes as warm temperatures moisten and weaken the upper snowpack. Check out our latest blog post on managing these not-quite-yet-spring conditions.

Confidence

High -

Weather Forecast

Friday night: Partly cloudy. Light west wind. Alpine temperature -8. Freezing level valley bottom.

Saturday: Cloudy with continuing scattered flurries with up to 10 cm of new snow. Moderate to strong south winds. Alpine high temperatures around -4. Freezing levels 1600 m.

Sunday: 10-15 cm new snow overnight then clearing. Light southwest wind shifting northwest over the day. Alpine high temperatures around -5. Freezing level 1500 m.

Monday: Sunny. Light to moderate west wind. Alpine high temperatures around -2. Freezing level 1900 m.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported in the region over the past couple of days, but reports from the neighboring North Columbias on Wednesday included small (size 1) natural and skier triggered loose wet and slab avalanches on south aspects, running on a recent crust layer. One recent natural size 2 cornice failure was also noted.

A couple of avalanche involvements were reported on Monday. We really appreciate this MIN report of a size 1.5 skier triggered storm slab on a northeast aspect around treeline. Thankfully no one was injured. 

We regret to report a fatality on Eureka Peak, east of Williams Lake on March 29. A human-triggered cornice failure resulted in a size 2.5 slab avalanche. It is important to remember to stay well back from ridgetops that might be corniced and to avoid slopes with overhead cornice exposure especially under the current conditions where recent rapid growth has made them large and fragile.

Snowpack Summary

Light accumulations of new snow have added to wind affected surfaces and cornices in alpine areas and to settled dry snow on more sheltered, shaded aspects above about 1900 metres. Below this elevation and on solar aspects it buries crusty surfaces. Crusty and/or moist surfaces exist atop the diminishing snowpack below about 1500 metres.

Recent warm weather is expected to have helped old persistent weak layers heal, including a few crusts buried over the last month as well as a facet layer 150 cm deep from the mid-February cold snap.

Terrain and Travel

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Extra caution is needed around cornices under the current conditions.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.