Kootenay Boundary

Check out this Forecasters Blog post for more info on how to manage risk during the spring. Here's a quote: "resist the urge to rely on danger ratings alone". Conditions change rapidly at this time of year and you need to stay tuned in locally.

Poor - Due to the number of field observations

Saturday: Cloudy with sunny breaks and a chance of showers or flurries. The freezing level rises to around 2000 m and ridge winds are moderate to strong from the S-SW. Sunday: A mix of sun and cloud. The freezing level is around 2000 m and ridge winds are moderate from the west.Monday: Cloudy with sunny breaks and a chance of showers. The freezing level jumps up to around 2600 m. Wind are moderate from the south.

There are no reports of recent avalanche activity, but my guess is that this is due to the lack of reporters and not the lack of activity. Expect loose wet activity in steep terrain and the possibility of storm/wind slabs in higher terrain. Last Sunday there was a report of a size 2.5 natural deep persistent slab in the Rossland Range in response to strong solar radiation and warm temperatures. This avalanche released on a steep southeast aspect at around 2100 m and likely failed on the mid February weak layer. It's a good reminder of the potential for large deep avalanches under certain conditions.

Considerably more snow than forecast fell on Thursday and into Friday. Some areas may have received 40+ cm of snow, with a snow line somewhere around 1500-1600 m. This new snow may not initially bond well to the underlying snow surface, which is probably a hard crust in many places. Moderate southwesterly winds have likely formed new wind slabs in exposed lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests. The late January/early February persistent weak layer is deeply buried but could still wake up during periods of heavy precipitation (especially rain) or significant warming and solar radiation. Cornices are large in some areas and should be given a wide berth.