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 10th, 2021–Apr 11th, 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.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary.

Seeking north-facing dry snow at higher elevations will place you in the same terrain as the primary avalanche problem, so use low consequence slopes to gain information before exposing yourself. Remember that new snow seeing its first sun exposure will likely shed naturally.

Confidence

Moderate -

Weather Forecast

Saturday night: Clearing. Moderate northwest winds easing to light by morning.

Sunday: Sunny. Light northwest winds. Alpine high temperatures around -5 with freezing levels to 1500 metres.

Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light northeast winds. Alpine high temperatures around -4 with freezing levels to 1700 metres. 

Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Light northeast winds, increasing a bit overnight. Alpine high temperatures around -4 with freezing levels to 1700 metres. 

Avalanche Summary

Small natural dry loose releases were noted on southeast aspects in the Kootenay Pass area on Saturday.

Reports from the same area on Thursday describe periods of intense solar warming triggering several natural point releases entraining our recent storm snow up to size 1.5.

A similar pattern should be expected through Sunday as recent light accumulations are once again triggered by their first exposure to solar input. New wind slabs may also be reactive to triggers in immediately leeward terrain features, with some potential to step down to a 30 cm-deep crust layer.

Snowpack Summary

5-10 cm of new snow through Friday night accumulated over a new melt-freeze crust on solar aspects and otherwise added to a rapidly settling 5-20 cm of snow from Wednesday's storm. This previous storm snow formed wind slabs on north through east aspects, overlying yet another crust on all aspects below 2000 metres. Wind affected new and recent accumulations may have instead added to settled dry snow in terrain above this elevation. 

Terrain and Travel

  • Small avalanches can have serious consequences in extreme terrain. Carefully evaluate your line for wind slab hazard before you commit to it.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Even brief periods of direct sun could produce natural avalanches.

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.