Avalanche Forecast

A ridge of high pressure will remain anchored over the Interior until Thursday bringing warmer temperatures and sunny skies. 

The typical spring-like diurnal weather pattern will hold afternoon alpine temperatures near -2 and freezing levels around 1500-2000 m. Overnight periods will see the freezing levels drop back to the valley bottom.

An approaching Pacific frontal system will move onto the coast Wednesday bringing unsettled weather and new snow to the Interior regions by Friday and through the weekend. 

There have been no recent avalanche reports from this region. Sunshine and daytime warming may initiate loose wet avalanches on steep solar slopes and weaken cornices. 

Dry snow can be found on shaded aspects at upper elevations. On solar aspects and at lower elevations expect crusty snow in the morning and soft, moist snow in the afternoon. Lingering wind slabs and large cornices may still pose a hazard close to alpine ridgelines.

A persistent weak layer of facets 40-60 cm deep that was buried in mid-February was reactive in the north of the region earlier this month but since the first week of March, only a couple of avalanches have been reported on this layer resulting from large triggers such as cornice fall. There are several other weak layers deeper in the snowpack composed of old surface hoar, facets and/or crusts, all of which have been recently unreactive.

• A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
• Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
• Avoid exposure to slopes that have cornices overhead.