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

Mar 15th, 2023–Mar 16th, 2023

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, 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, Esplanade, Jordan, North Selkirk, Shuswap, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Kokanee, North Okanagan, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

Solar input and warm temperatures begin to have their springtime effect on the snowpack.

Storm slabs may remain reactive for longer than expected.

Northerly aspects with little overhead hazard will offer the safest and best riding today.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Tuesday was another day filled with avalanche reports. Our region saw multiple storm slab, wind slab, and deep persistent slab avalanches. Most of these were naturally triggered but a few caught some riders by surprise. The storm slab avalanches were found on all aspects and elevations and reached up to size 3 running at a depth of 70 cm. The wind slab avalanches reached up to size 3, found in the alpine, on aspects that ranged from southeast to north, and failed at a depth of up to 80 cm.

Snowpack Summary

A storm slab, 40 to 60 cm, overlies a variety of surfaces, which include surface hoar, 3 to 10 mm, on shady slopes at all elevations, wind-affected surfaces at treeline and above, and sun crust on sunny aspects. Moderate to strong southerly winds that accompanied this snow may have created wind slabs at higher elevations.

The mid-snowpack is generally strong but the lower snowpack is a different story.

The November facets are still prominent at the base of the snowpack. They are showing signs of improving but this layer remains a significant concern in rocky, shallow, or thin to thick snowpack areas at treeline and above.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Clearing, no accumulation, winds westerly 10 to 15 km/h gusting to 30, treeline temperatures -9 °C.

Thursday

Mostly sunny with cloudy periods, no accumulation, winds southwest 10 km/h, treeline temperatures -5 °C with freezing levels up to 1500 m.

Friday

A mix of sun and cloud, no accumulation, winds southeast 10 km/h, treeline temperatures -4 °C with freezing levels getting up to 1600 m.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, no accumulation, winds southeast 10 km/h, treeline temperatures -5 to 0 °C with freezing levels getting up to 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Don't let the desire for deep powder pull you into high consequence terrain.
  • Use small low consequence slopes to test the bond of the new snow.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.

Problems

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.

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.