Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 5th, 2025–Apr 6th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Failing cornices have produced large avalanches recently.

Reduce your exposure to overhead hazard during periods of warm temperatures, strong winds, heavy snow or rain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several cornice triggered avalanches were reported in the past week.

If you do observe an avalanche, please share your observations on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Variable wind-affected snow covers open terrain at upper elevations. A crust is found up to 1600 m and higher on solar slopes.

Three layers of concern currently exist in the upper-mid snowpack. Surface hoar and a crust that formed in mid-March can be found 30 to 70 cm below the snow surface. Below this, another layer of surface hoar that formed in early March can be found at a depth of 60 to 100 cm. Additionally, a layer of facets, surface hoar, and/or a crust from mid-February is buried 120 to 200 cm deep.

The remainder of the snowpack is well consolidated, and there are no current concerns.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Cloudy with 3 to 4 mm/cm of rain/snow. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Sunday

Cloudy with 0 to 1 mm/cm of rain/snow. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Monday

Mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Tuesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.

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.

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.