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 25th, 2022–Apr 28th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

With spring conditions, avalanche hazard can change quickly during periods of warming or from a blast of wet spring snow. Start early and keep track of any accumulating snowfall.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to limitations in the field data.

Weather Forecast

MONDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries, 15-30 km/h south wind, ridgetop low temperature -2 C. Poor overnight re-freeze expected with freezing level hovering above 2000 m.

TUESDAY: Isolated and wet flurries, 5 mm. 15-25 km southwest wind, ridgetop high temperature +1 C, daytime freezing level dropping below 1500 m by evening.

WEDNESDAY: Overnight flurries, 5-15 cm. West wind gusting to 60 km/h, ridgetop high temperature -1 C, daytime freezing level 1700 m.

THURSDAY: Scattered cloud. Light southwest wind, ridgetop high temperature +2 C, daytime freezing level rising to 2000 m.

Avalanche Summary

Small (size 1) wet loose avalanches were reported around Kootenay Pass on Friday. We've had very few reports from the field recently. Please consider posting your observations to the Mountain Information Network to supplement our data stream and help fellow recreationists.

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack has transitioned to spring-time conditions, with overnight crusts transitioning to moist snow during the day, and, if any spring flurries accumulate, isolated and lingering winter-ish conditions at the highest shaded elevations. Overall the snowpack is strong, consisting of hard snow and various melt-freeze crusts. The snowpack deteriorates rapidly at lower elevations.

Terrain and Travel

  • Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Remember that in the spring strong solar radiation and warm temperatures can weaken the snow in a matter of minutes.

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.

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.