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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 23rd, 2024–Mar 24th, 2024

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

Kootenay Boundary, Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, South Okanagan, Ymir, Crawford, Moyie, St. Mary, Kokanee, Valhalla.

10 to 25 cm of forecast snow Saturday night may form reactive storm slabs, especially in wind affected terrain.

Use small low consequence slopes to test the bond of the new snow.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

Several rider triggered size 1 dry loose avalanches were reported in steep terrain at all elevations on Friday.

Snowpack Summary

10 to 25 cm of forecast low density snow Saturday night may settle into reactive storm slabs, especially in wind affected terrain. This snow overlies predominantly crusty surfaces, except for northerly aspects at upper elevations.

A weak layer of surface hoar is down 30-60 cm in isolated, sheltered areas at treeline.

A widespread crust with sugary facets above is buried 80-180 cm deep. Steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer. However, when a thick surface crust is present, human triggering this layer is unlikely.

Weather Summary

Saturday night

Snow, 10 to 25 cm. 10 to 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Sunday

Mix of sun and cloud with isolated flurries, 0 to 5 cm. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Monday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Tuesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for additional weather information.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for changing conditions today, storm slabs may become increasingly reactive.
  • Use small low consequence slopes to test the bond of the new snow.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

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.

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.

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.