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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 22nd, 2024–Feb 23rd, 2024

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary, Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, Ymir, Crawford, Moyie, St. Mary, Goat, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

Recent avalanches in the region indicate that the potential for rider triggering remains possible.Evaluate slopes individually before committing to the terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday, several natural and skier-triggered avalanches were reported across the region. They were mostly small with a few large occurrences, (sizes 1-2) and released on a variety of aspects at treeline and the alpine. They all failed within the recent storm snow or on the persistent weak layers described in the snowpack summary.

This avalanche activity indicates that storm snow and persistent slabs may continue to be reactive to rider triggering.

Snowpack Summary

5 to 20 cm of recently fallen snow overlies previous wind wind-affected or crusty surfaces. A sun crust or moist snow exists on steep south and west faces.

Around Nelson, Kootenay Pass, and the Valhallas, a weak layer of surface hoar may be buried 20-40 cm below the snow surface.

A persistent weak layer of facets may be overlying a thick crust buried 30 to 50 cm.

The mid and lower snowpack is generally well settled.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Cloudy with a trace of new snow, 20 km/h south ridgetop wind, treeline temperature around -3 °C, freezing level dropping to 400 m.

Friday

A mix of sun and cloud with no new snow, 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, treeline temperature around 2 °C, freezing level rising to 1700 m.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy with 0 to 2 cm of snow, 25 km/h west ridgetop wind, treeline temperature around 1 °C, freezing level rising to 1700 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with a 5 to 20 cm, 45 km/h west ridgetop wind, treeline temperature around 0 °C, freezing level rising to 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Potential for wide propagation exists, fresh slabs may rest on surface hoar, facets and/or crust.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

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.