Avalanche Forecast

Moderate -

 

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with some lingering flurries delivering up to 5 cm, 20 km/h northwest wind, treeline temperatures drop to -7 C.

THURSDAY: Mostly cloudy with some light flurries but no notable accumulations of snow, 20-30 km/h northwest wind, freezing level reaches 1500 m with treeline temperatures up to -5 C.

FRIDAY: Cloudy wiith some light flurries but no notable accumulations of snow, 20-30 km/h west wind, treeline temperatures around -5 C.

SATURDAY: Cloudy with scattered flurries and 5-10 cm of snow, 20-40 km/h southwest wind, freezing level climbing to 1600 m, treeline temperatures around -3 C.

Recent avalanche activity has primarily been small (size 1-1.5) avalanches in the top 15 cm of snow, many of them dry loose sluffs rather than slabs. A few larger slab 2 avalanches were reported in Glacier NP on Monday and Tuesday. There were also a few human triggered slab avalanches in the Revelstoke area, including this snowmobile triggered avalanche on Boulder Mountain on Monday.

10-20 cm of fresh snow brings totals over the last week to 40-60 cm. This sits above an interface that formed during the mid-March dry spell, which consists of a widespread crust (except on north-facing slopes above 1800 m). n some terrain (primarily wind affected terrain) the surface snow has settled into a slab, however in many areas this snow remains loose. Large cornices loom over alpine ridgetops. Spring temperatures and sun are producing a melt-freeze snowpack below 1500 m and higher on solar slopes.

• Avoid areas where the snow feels stiff and/or slabby.
• Use ridges or ribs to avoid areas of wind loaded snow.
• Be careful with open slopes and convex rolls, especially in more extreme terrain.
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.