Avalanche Forecast

Sunday Night: Cloudy with clear periods. Light to moderate northwest wind. Alpine high temperatures around -10.

Monday: Cloudy with sunny breaks. Light northwest wind. Alpine high temperatures around -6.

Tuesday: Isolated flurries. Light to moderate west wind. Alpine high temperatures around -5.

Wednesday: Mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate west wind. Alpine high temperatures around -7.

Reports from Saturday show numerous loose dry avalanche size 1-1.5 running in steep terrain in the alpine and at tree line. There were also a few skier and rider triggered storm and wind slab avalanches size 1-1.5. 

Reports from Wednesday through Friday include several skier and rider triggered as explosives controlled storm slab and wind slab avalanches size 1-1.5.

20-40 cm of snow from last week now overlies older wind-affected snow at high elevations as well as a widespread melt-freeze or rain crust with an upper extent that varies from 1900 metres in some areas to mountaintop in others. The depth of new snow diminishes considerably at lower elevations. 

The mid and lower snowpack are generally well settled and strong, but contain two deeper weak layers that we have been tracking since the early part of the season. The late December surface hoar layer, buried 100 to 180 cm deep, is now suspected to be dormant.

A facet/crust layer from November exists near the ground in the highest elevations of the region. It remains a limited concern that is likely only able to be triggered with a large load, in high elevation, thin snowpack areas of the Selkirks and the southern half of the region.

• Be careful as you transition into wind affected terrain.
• Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
• Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.