Avoid avalanche terrain. Stick to low angle slopes with no overhead hazard.
Rising freezing levels will further destabilize a complex snowpack with several avalanche problems.
This problem encompasses several weak layers throughout the upper and mid snowpack. Remote triggers and wide propagation have been observed. Resulting avalanches have been large and destructive.
Loose wet avalanches will become increasingly likely as temperatures rise. Loose wet avalanches have potential to act as triggers to deeper weak layers.
Basal facets remain a concern in steep, rocky alpine features with thin-to-thick snowpack transitions. Avalanches triggered on this layer have been large and destructive.
On Friday in the Dogtooth range, a group of skiers triggered a size 4 (absolutely enormous) avalanche from a ridgetop and were thankfully unharmed.
This adds to a long list of large to very large avalanches on various weak layers throughout the east Cariboos, northern Selkirks, and west Purcells in recent days, including natural, rider, cornice and remote triggered size 2-3.5.
We expect this type and size of avalanche activity to continue over the next couple days.
Light snowfall continues to accumulate in the alpine and be redistributed by southerly winds. Elevated freezing levels and rain have moistened the surface at treeline and below.
Beneath lies a complex snowpack containing several layers of concern that continue to produce avalanche activity:
· Facets formed during the mid January cold snap sit 20-40 cm deep.
· A surface hoar/facet/crust layer formed in early January sits 60-80 cm deep.
· Another surface hoar layer that was buried in early December is now 130+ cm deep and remains a concern above 2000 m where it is not capped by a crust.
The lower snowpack is characterized by weak basal facets in many areas. Avalanches on this layer have been large and destructive
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy with trace amounts of new snow expected in the alpine, south alpine wind 25 to 60 km/h, freezing level around 1800 m.
Monday
Cloudy with up to 5 mm of rain expected, south alpine wind 25 to 50 km/h, freezing level 2600 to 2900 m.
Tuesday
Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow in the alpine, southwest alpine wind 40 to 60 km/h, freezing level around 2400 m.
Wednesday
A mix of sun and cloud with trace amounts of snow in the alpine, south alpine wind 25 to 50 km/h, freezing level around 2500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
