Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 1st, 2025–Apr 2nd, 2025

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.
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, Renshaw, Robson.

Large persistent slab avalanches continue to be reported, primarily on northerly aspects in the alpine.

Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Monday, numerous naturally triggered wet loose avalanches up to size 2.5 and a size 2 cornice failure were reported.

On Sunday, cornice falls triggered two size 3 persistent slab avalanches on northerly aspects in the alpine near McBride.

On Saturday, a sledder triggered size 2 persistent slab avalanche was reported below an alpine ridgetop near the Clemina Creek. See MIN

NOTE: Observations in this region are currently very limited.

Snowpack Summary

Recent convective snowfall has been highly variable, accumulating over a crust in most areas except shady aspects in the high alpine where soft or wind affected dry snow may be found.

The primary weak layer of concern is a surface hoar, facet, and crust layer from early March, buried 50 to 100 cm deep.

The lower snowpack is generally well settled and strong in most areas.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy with isolated flurries, 0 to 5 cm of snow. 5 to 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 5 to 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.

Thursday

Sunny. 5 to 10 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Friday

Sunny. 5 to 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Triggering deep layers is more likely if the snow surface didn't freeze overnight.

Problems

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.