Avalanche Forecast

Fair - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain

Synopsis: A series of slow moving frontal systems will move through the BC interior.Tonight: Cloudy with flurries, possible 5 to 10cm of precipitation, overnight freezing levels will drop close to valley bottom Winds light, gusting to moderate from the south west.Saturday: Cloudy with flurries, 5 to 10cm of precipitation expected, daytime freezing level around 1500m, No overnight freeze and freezing levels may go up to 1600m, winds light to moderate from the south west.Sunday: Cloudy with flurries, trace to 5cm of precipitation possible, freezing level may rise to 1400m, winds light, gusting to moderate from the south west.Monday:  Sunny with a few cloudy periods, no precipitation in the forecast, freezing levels rise  to 2500m and winds should be light to moderate from the south west.

Reports of large avalanches have dropped off, but we are still getting reports of loose dry and loose wet avalanches from steep alpine terrain. One size 2.5 natural avalanche triggered by solar warming and several 1 to 1.5 avalanches. Sluffing in steep terrain is being reported on all aspects.A low probability, but high consequence avalanche problem exists in the Columbia regions. Highly destructive and unpredictable avalanches are possible during these spring conditions. Smaller avalanches have been reported stepping down to old, deeply buried weak layers and producing very large avalanches. Solar input is a big factor as spring progresses.  Watch out for large mature cornices!

Recent warm temperatures have resulted in good settlement and bonding of the storm snow from earlier in the week, but wind slabs may still be touchy on north and east aspects.Three persistent weaknesses contribute to a highly variable snow pack with the possibility of triggering deeper instabilities. The mid-March sun crust/surface hoar layer down 50-80cm still has potential for human-triggering in isolated areas. The early-March crust/facet/surface hoar layer down around 80-120cm has become less susceptible to triggering by light loads, but still has the ability to produce large avalanches, we continue to hear reports of avalanches stepping down to this layer. The mid-February crust/facet/surface hoar layer is typically down at least 1.5m and direct triggering has become unlikely. However, large loads like cornices or smaller avalanches picking up mass might still trigger this layer and produce very large avalanches.