Avalanche forecast

South Okanagan

Mar 19 – 20, 2024Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate

Highlights

Very large persistent slab avalanches remain likely to human trigger, especially at treeline and above.

Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    A crust with weak facets above is down 40 to 130 cm. Steep or convex terrain features with a shallow or thin to thick snowpack at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer.

  • Loose Wet

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

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

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported in this region on Monday. However, data is very limited in this region.

Please consider posting your observations on the Mountain Information Network.

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 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

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Wednesday

Sunny. 5 to 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 4 °C. Freezing level 2400 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 0 to 3 cm of snow (above 1400m). 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Friday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 0 to 5 cm of snow(above 1300 m). 5 to 10 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Keep in mind that human triggering potential persists as natural avalanching tapers off.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • If triggered loose wet avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Cornice failure may trigger large avalanches.

Regions covered