Avalanche Forecast

Reports from Saturday suggest there was limited avalanche activity, although some notable avalanches were remotely-triggered from low angle terrain north of Castlegar in the Norns Range. These size 1 and 2 avalanches failed on a 30 cm deep weak layer and occurred on southeast slopes in upper treeline terrain. Otherwise, over the past few days there have been a few small (size 1) skier-triggered slab avalanches in the top 20 to 30 cm of snow.

In the coming days, slab avalanches will remain possible in the top 20 to 40 cm of snow, most likely on wind-affected slopes where this snow has more slab characteristics.

Surface conditions are variable and include sun crusts, surface hoar, and wind-affected snow. Sheltered areas have 20 to 40 cm of soft snow from last week. This snow sits above a layer of surface hoar or decomposing crusts, that could develop into a problem when buried more deeply. The lower snowpack contains weak and faceted grains. Deeper weak layers in the snowpack have not recently produced avalanches, but they may become reactive again if there is a rapid change in the weather.

Sunday night

Cloudy, scattered flurries with 1 to 5 cm of snow, 30 to 50 km/h southwest wind, treeline temperatures around -4 ºC.

Monday

Cloudy, scattered flurries with another 1 to 5 cm of snow, 30 km/h west wind, treeline temperatures around -4 ºC.

Mostly sunny, no precipitation, 20 km/h north wind, treeline temperatures around -6 °C.

Mostly sunny, no precipitation, 30 km/h northwest wind, treeline temperatures around -6 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Investigate the bond of the recent snow
• Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.