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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 16th, 2025–Apr 17th, 2025

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

North Columbia, South Columbia, Esplanade, Jordan, North Selkirk, West Purcell, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Retallack, Whatshan.

Avalanche activity is more likely as sun and rising temperatures affect the snowpack.

Minimize your exposure to cornices, and steep south facing slopes in the heat of the day.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Size 2-3 persistent slab avalanches have occurred this week in the Selkirks to natural and remote triggers. Activity has been primarily observed in north facing, alpine terrain features.

Cornice falls continue to be reported, triggering size 2-3 avalanches on the slopes below.

Small loose wet avalanches continue on steep south-facing slopes in the afternoon.

Snowpack Summary

Expect to find dry snow on high north-facing slopes, crust or moist snow at lower elevations and on south facing slopes, and hard, wind-affected snow in exposed areas.

Surface hoar 30 to 70 cm deep has been reactive in the Selkirks this week. This layer is most likely to be found on sheltered north-facing slopes between 2200 and 2600 m.

The mid and lower snowpack is generally strong, with older weak layers buried 100–250 cm deep. Large triggers, like cornice collapses, could trigger these deeper layers, especially on high, shaded slopes.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Clear skies. 20 to 30 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Freezing level drops to 500 m.

Thursday

Mostly clear. 20 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature rises to 0 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Friday

Clear skies. 15 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature rises to +7 °C. Freezing level 2800 m.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with 5-10 cm of snow above 2000 m. 15 to 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
  • Rocks will heat up with daytime warming and may become trigger points for loose wet avalanches.
  • Be aware of the potential for remote triggering and large avalanches due to buried surface hoar.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.