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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 19th, 2025–Apr 20th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

North Columbia, South Columbia, Clearwater, Esplanade, Jordan, North Monashee, North Selkirk, Shuswap, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Retallack, Whatshan.

Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, numerous naturally triggered wet loose avalanches up to size 2.5 were reported.

It has been over a week since human-triggered avalanches were reported on the early April surface hoar layers.

NOTE: Observations are currently very limited in this region.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 10 cm of recent snow may be found at upper elevations. This snow overlies a robust crust everywhere except northerly aspects at upper elevations.

Most terrain has undergone strong melt-freeze cycles, but the snowpack remains slightly more complex on north-facing alpine slopes. In the Selkirks, two surface hoar layers are buried 30 to 60 cm deep, and older weak layers may exist in the middle of the snowpack across the region. However, none of these layers are expected to be reactive under current conditions.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 0 to 5 cm snow. 5 to 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy with flurries, 0 to 15 cm snow. 5 to 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1900 m.

Monday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 0 to 5 cm snow. 10 to 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 5 to 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °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.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.

Problems

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.