North Rockies

Until cold temperatures lock in this warm and wet snowpack, dangerous avalanche conditions and poor riding quality will exist.

Human triggered avalanches are possible.

On Tuesday, numerous wet loose and wet slab avalanches were reported up to size 2. Sunday and Monday saw a natural avalanche cycle with avalanches on all aspects and elevations to size 3.

A fatal avalanche involving one snowmobiler occurred in the Hasler riding area last Saturday. The avalanche was triggered in a wind-loaded east-facing chute feature at treeline and ran approximately 250 m. For more details on this incident, see the Fatal Avalanche Incident report.

High freezing levels and rain have moistened the surface snow to 2500 m and wet, rain-saturated snow exists up to 2200 m.

A weak layer of facets exist down 30 to 60 cm and a prominent crust down 40 to 100 cm. The crust is reported to extend up to 1900 m in the Cariboos and up to 1800 m around Pine Pass. The stress of the new load (warm, wet upper snowpack) has produced large avalanches possibly failing on these layers.

In areas east of the Divide the snowpack is shallow and faceted with depths of 60 to 100 cm around treeline.

Wednesday Night

Cloudy, treeline temperatures near 3°C, south alpine wind 30 gusting to 55 km/h, freezing level around 2000 m.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with rain/snow expected 4 to 7 mm, southwest alpine wind 30 to 40 km/h, freezing level around 1900 m.

Friday

Cloudy with light rain/snow, alpine temperatures near 1°C, southeast alpine wind 20 to 30 km/h, freezing level rising to 1600 m.

Saturday

Mix of sun and cloud, treeline temperatures near -5°C, southeast alpine wind 25 km/h, freezing level valley bottom.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
• A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
• Be aware of the potential for surprisingly large avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.