Avalanche forecast

South Okanagan

Mar 16 – 17, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

⚠️ Avoid All avalanche terrain ⚠️Soaring freezing levels and solar radiation will result in a widespread natural avalanche cycle on Sunday.

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Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    Cornices are large, looming and will likely trigger very large persistent slab avalanches when they fail.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–3

    A crust with weak facets overtop is down 40 to 90 cm. Large natural and human triggered avalanches occurring on this layer are very likely on Sunday.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers, resulting in very large avalanches.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported in this region on Friday. However, data for this region is very limited.

Large, naturally triggered avalanches are likely to occur on all aspects at treeline and above on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels overnight will result in no overnight re-freeze of the snow surface. As a result, the avalanche danger will rise rapidly throughout the day.

A widespread crust is buried 40-90 cm. In some areas, a weak layer of facets can be found above.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Clear skies. 10 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 8 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Sunday

Sunny. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.

Monday

Sunny. 10 to 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 9 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 7 °C. Freezing level 2800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of intense solar radiation.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain free of overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

Regions covered