Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 2nd, 2025–Mar 3rd, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

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.

Regions

Cariboos, Blue River, Clearwater, McBride, Premier, Quesnel, Clemina, North Monashee.

Dry snow remains in high elevation northerly terrain however, this is where triggering weak layers is most likely. Manage this high-consequence snowpack with low-consequence terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Saturday, a skier remote triggered size 3, persistent slab avalanche was reported. This avalanche occurred on a northwest facing slope at 2050 m. Evidence indicates wind slabs and persistent weak layers remain primed for human triggering.

Explosive control in the region produced several persistent slab avalanches up to size 3.

Solar input and elevated freezing levels triggered a widespread natural avalanche cycle to size 2.5.

Snowpack Summary

Above 1000 m, a few centimeters of snow overlies a melt-freeze crust, which extends to ridgetops on all aspects except northerly slopes above 1700 m where surfaces remained dry. Below 1000 m, the snow surface may remain moist.

20 to 50 cm down is a weak layer of facets/surface hoar or a crust. Additional weak layers formed in January are found at varying depths within the upper 100 cm of snow. These include weak faceted snow, crusts on south-facing slopes, and surface hoar in shaded terrain. Otherwise, the mid and lower snowpack is generally well-settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Cloudy with light flurries, 1 to 5 cm of snow. 10 to 25 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level drops to 1000 m.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud. 5 to 15 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.

Tuesday

Mainly sunny. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud with light flurries, up to 2 cm of snow. 20 to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
Stay away from steep slopes, open slopes, and convex rolls at and below treeline where weak layers may be preserved.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.