Avalanche forecast

South Okanagan

Mar 17 – 18, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

⚠️ Avoid All avalanche terrain ⚠️Soaring freezing levels and solar radiation will likely continue to produce very large naturally triggered avalanches.

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Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    Cornices are large, looming and will likely trigger very large persistent slab avalanches when they fail.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–3

    A crust with weak facets overtop is down 40 to 130 cm. Large natural and human triggered avalanches occurring on this layer are very likely on Monday.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–2.5

    If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers, resulting in very large avalanches.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A skier triggered large persistent slab avalanche on a northeast aspect in the alpine was reported on Saturday. See MIN.

Large, naturally triggered avalanches are likely to occur on all aspects at treeline and above on Monday.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels overnight will result in no overnight re-freeze of the snow surface. As a result, the avalanche danger will rise rapidly throughout the day.

A widespread, hard crust down 40 - 130 cm with weak facets above continues to be the primary layer of concern for natural and human triggering of very large persistent slab avalanches.

Cornices have become large and looming, and are more likely to fail during periods of warming.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Clear skies. 10 to 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Monday

Sunny. 10 to 15 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 12 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.

Tuesday

Sunny. 10 to 15 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 10 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 7 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of intense solar radiation.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain free of overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

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