Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 25th, 2025–Mar 26th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

South Okanagan, Shuswap, North Okanagan.

If the sun comes out and the wind is calm, expect avalanche danger to rise rapidly.

Avoid being on or underneath slopes in the sun. High north slopes may hold dry snow.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Monday, a few small storm slabs and wet loose avalanches were triggered with explosives near Vernon.

On the weekend, there were numerous small storm slabs triggered by riders.

As temperatures rise, wet avalanches are expected to occur and cornices may fall, especially when the sun comes out.

Snowpack Summary

As temperatures rise to above mountain top, the recent snow (around 40 cm) is expected to become moist and wet.

Otherwise, a melt-freeze crust is 40 to 70 cm deep from early march. Below that, two weak layers of surface hoar and/or faceted grains associated with crusts from late-January and mid-February may be found 70 to 120 cm deep.

The mid and lower snowpack is well-settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Cloudy. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2800 m.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud, with 2 mm of rain in the afternoon. 10 to 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 3000 m.

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with 5 to 15 cm/mm of snow or rain. 20 to 30 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level falling to 1800 m by noon.

Friday

Mostly cloudy with 5 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h southeast ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid sun-exposed slopes, especially if the snow surface is moist or wet.
A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

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.

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.