Forecast rain to mountain-tops will rapidly destabilize the upper snowpack and initiate a loose wet avalanche cycle.
Forecast rain to mountain-tops will rapidly destabilize the upper snowpack and may trigger recently formed storm slabs sitting slippery crusts.
Forecast rain to mountain-tops will rapidly destabilize the upper snowpack and initiate a loose wet avalanche cycle.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Rain to near 2500 m; 5-10 mm / Strong, southwesterly winds / Alpine low 6 C / Freezing level 2700 m.
FRIDAY: Rain to near 2300 m; 5-10 mm / Strong, southwesterly winds / Alpine high 6 C / Freezing level 2500 m.
SATURDAY: Sunny / Light, northwesterly winds / Alpine high 5 C / Freezing level 2200 m.
SUNDAY: Sunny / Light, northwesterly winds / Alpine high 8 C / Freezing level 2500 m.
No new avalanches were reported in this region on Wednesday. However, avalanche activity is expected to increase on Friday with the forecast rain to mountain-tops.
On Tuesday, a party skiing near Kootenay Pass reported "whumphing" on solar aspects near ridgetops and triggered a size 2 storm slab avalanche sitting on a crust on a north aspect at around 2000 m. See the MIN report HERE.
On Sunday, a skier triggered a small size 1 wind slab that then stepped-down and triggered a size 2.5 persistent slab avalanche on a northwest aspect in the alpine. See the MIN report HERE.
Rain to mountain-tops Thursday night will rapidly warm the snow and initiate a loose wet avalanche cycle at treeline and above. 20-40 cm recent snow sitting on a crust on all aspects below 2000 m which has recently been reactive to riders.
Below treeline snow is disappearing rapidly.
