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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 1st, 2025–Mar 2nd, 2025

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

Regions

North Columbia, South Columbia, Jordan, North Selkirk, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

Prolonged warming will keep persistent slabs at their tipping point. Manage this high-consequence snowpack with low-consequence terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Over the last few days, numerous natural, explosive and human-triggered avalanches (up to size 4) were reported across various elevations and aspects. Many of these avalanches failed on the late January persistent weak layer.

Strong evidence indicates that persistent weak layers remain primed for human triggering.

Read more in our Forecasters' Blog.

Snowpack Summary

A melt-freeze crust or moist snow likely makes up the surface on all but high-elevation north aspects. High overnight freezing levels mean crust recovery may be weak. This tops 30 to 50 cm of recent storm snow generally rests on a weak layer of facets, surface hoar, or a crust. Another persistent weak layer, buried in late January, lies 50 to 100 cm deep across the region. This layer also consists of surface hoar/facets or a crust, depending on aspect. The remaining snowpack is well-settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Mostly clear. 5 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. with an alpine temperature inversion. Freezing level 2500 m.

Sunday

Increasing high cloud. 10 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C with an alpine temperature inversion. Freezing level 2000 m.

Monday

Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of new snow. 5 to 15 hm/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level rising to 1500 m.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 30 hm/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

  • Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
  • Remote triggering is a big concern, be aware of the potential for wide propagations and large, destructive avalanches at all elevations.
  • Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.
  • Avoid the runout zones of avalanche paths. Avalanches could run full path.

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.

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.