Avalanche forecast

Kootenay Boundary

Mar 16 – 17, 2024Avalanche Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 3 years ago

Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
Open full map

Highlights

⚠️ Avoid All avalanche terrain ⚠️Soaring freezing levels and solar radiation will result in a widespread natural avalanche cycle on Sunday.

Check out our latest blog.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Cornices are large, looming and will likely trigger very large persistent slab avalanches when they fail.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–3.5

    A crust with weak facets overtop is down 80 to 160 cm. Very large natural and human triggered avalanches occurring on this layer are very likely on Sunday.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers, resulting in very large avalanches.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Numerous naturally triggered wet loose avalanches up to size 2.5 and persistent slab avalanches up to size 3 (very large) were reported on all aspects at treeline and above on Friday.

Very large, natural avalanches are expected to continue to occur on Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels overnight will result in no overnight re-freeze of the snow surface. As a result, the avalanche danger will rise rapidly throughout the day.

A weak layer of surface hoar is buried 40-60 cm in some areas. A widespread crust with sugary facets above is buried 120-160 cm deep. Both of these layers remain very concerning for human triggering.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Clear skies. 10 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 8 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Sunday

Sunny. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.

Monday

Sunny. 10 to 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 9 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 7 °C. Freezing level 2800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of intense solar radiation.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain free of overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

Regions covered