North Columbia

Natural avalanche activity has slowed down, but human triggered avalanches remain likely, especially in wind loaded areas and at lower elevations where a buried surface hoar layer has produced avalanches recently.

Moderate -

MONDAY NIGHT - Clear periods / northwest winds 10-15 km/h / alpine low temperature near -17TUESDAY - A mix of sun and cloud / northeast winds 10-15 km/h / alpine high temperature near -15WEDNESDAY - Mainly sunny / northwest winds 15-25 km/h / alpine high temperature near -15THURSDAY - Cloudy with flurries, 5 cm / southwest winds, 15-35 km/h / alpine high temperature near -13

Natural avalanche activity slowed to some degree on Sunday. Several natural avalanches to size 2.5 were reported. Human triggered avalanches to size 2.5 were also reported, many of these were triggered remotely (from a distance). Most of these failed on a persistent weak layer that was buried in mid January.Widespread avalanche activity was reported on Friday and Saturday. Numerous natural and explosives triggered avalanches to size 3.5, and human triggered avalanches to size 2 were reported. Many of these avalanches were triggered remotely (from a distance) and failed on the mid January layer.Human triggered avalanches failing on the mid January persistent weak layer have been reported almost daily for the past two weeks in the North Columbia region.

30-80 cm of recent new snow sits on surface hoar (feathery crystals), facets (sugary snow), wind slabs and a crust on sun-exposed slopes. In many areas, recent winds have redistributed the new snow, forming wind slabs on all aspects due to shifting wind directions.A persistent weak layer that was buried in mid January is now buried 50-100 cm. This layer consists primarily of surface hoar, however there is also a crust associated with it on sun-exposed slopes. This layer has been most reactive at treeline and below, and was very reactive during the height of the recent storm.