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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 18th, 2025–Apr 19th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

North Columbia, South Columbia, Clearwater, Esplanade, Jordan, North Monashee, North Selkirk, Shuswap, Badshot-Battle, Central Selkirk, Goat, Gold, Retallack, Whatshan.

Heightened conditions are expected on steep alpine slopes that accumulate new snow.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Over the past few days, a variety of small avalanches have been observed, including wet loose avalanches on sun-exposed slopes, small wind slabs in the alpine, and cornice falls. It has been over a week since human-triggered avalanches were reported on the early April surface hoar layers.

Snowpack Summary

Most high elevations are expected to receive 10 cm of new snow on Saturday, with up to 20 cm in localized areas. Since it will start as rain, the new snow should bond well to the wet, crusty surfaces.

Most terrain has undergone strong melt-freeze cycles, but the snowpack remains slightly more complex on north-facing alpine slopes. In the Selkirks, two surface hoar layers are buried 30 to 60 cm deep, and older weak layers may exist in the middle of the snowpack across the region. However, none of these layers are expected to be reactive under current conditions.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow above 1500 m, some hotspots north of Revelstoke may get up to 20 cm. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +1 °C. Freezing level drops from 2500 to 2000 m.

Saturday

Cloudy with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy with 1 to 5 cm of snow. 10 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Monday

Mix of sun and cloud with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
  • Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 20 cm of new snow.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind 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.