Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 30th, 2024–Jan 31st, 2024

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Blue River, McBride, Premier, Clemina, Esplanade, North Monashee, North Selkirk.

Until cold temperatures lock in this warm and wet snowpack, dangerous avalanche conditions and poor riding quality will exist.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Sunday and Monday saw, numerous large to very large slab avalanches were reported from the region up to size 3.5. Avalanche activity has been observed at all elevations.

Snowpack Summary

Light snowfall continues to accumulate in the high alpine and be redistributed by southerly winds. Elevated freezing levels and rain have moistened the surface snow to 2500 m and wet, rain saturdated snow exists up to 2200 m.

The stress of the new load (warm, wet upper snowpack) has been actively producing avalanches failing down to the early and mid January crust/facet layer (30-80 cm down) and the early December rain crust/ facet layer (100+ cm down) which remains a concern above 2000 m in shallow snowpack areas.

The lower snowpack is characterized by weak basal facets in many areas.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy with light rain/snow expected, alpine temperatures near -3°C, south alpine wind 15 gusting to 60 km/h, freezing level around 1600 m.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with light rain/snow expected, southwest alpine wind 40 to 50 km/h, freezing level around 2800 m in the south (Gold Range, Northern Selkirks) and 1700 m in the north (Cariboos).

Thursday

Cloudy with light rain/rain possible, alpine temperatures near -1°C, southeast alpine wind 25-45 km/h, freezing level rising to 1900 m.

Friday

Mostly cloudy, isolated flurries, alpine temperatures -3°C, southeast alpine wind 10 to 20 km/h, freezing level rising to 1400 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to the presence of deeply buried weak layers.
As surface loses cohesion due to melting, loose wet avalanches become common in steeper terrain.

Problems

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.