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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 31st, 2024–Apr 1st, 2024

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 possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
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, North Okanagan, Whatshan.

Avalanche danger will increase with daytime heat.

Avoid being exposed to slopes that are in the sun.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported on Sunday my the time of publishing.

On Monday, there were several small and large (size 2) skier accidental storm slab avalanches reported. Mostly in steep terrain on east to north aspects in the alpine.

North of Revelstoke there was also one large (size 3) persistent slab avalanche triggered by a helicopter landing at 2300 m on a northeast aspect.

Snowpack Summary

20 to 40 cm of recent snow will be seeing the sun for the first time and quickly becoming wet and losing strength, especially on steep slopes.

This snow sits on surface hoar crystals that overly soft or wind affect snow on northerly alpine terrain or a hard melt-freeze crust elsewhere.

Weak faceted grains above a hard crust that formed in early February is buried around 100 to 150 cm deep. The layer is strengthening and is currently dormant.

The remainder of the snowpack is settled.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Mostly clear skies. 15 to 25 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Monday

Clear skies. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2400 m.

Tuesday

Mostly clear skies. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Wednesday

Cloudy with 10 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid exposure to steep sun exposed slopes.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.
  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.
  • The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

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.