North Columbia

Use caution as you transition into wind exposed terrain, recent new snow combined with southwest winds have likely promoted wind slab development at upper elevations.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT - Cloudy with clear periods / southwest wind, 30-60 km/h / alpine low temperature near -10

THURSDAY - Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries / southwest wind, 20-50 km/h / alpine high temperature near -6 / freezing level 1000 m

FRIDAY - Snow, 20-30 cm / southwest wind, 40-70 km/h / alpine high temperature near -2 / freezing level 2000 m

SATURDAY - Snow, 15-20 cm / southwest wind, 40-60 km/h / alpine high temperature near -3 / freezing level 1000 m

Due to continuous stormy weather, there have been daily avalanches reported in the region. Most of these have been storm and wind slab avalanches, on all aspects, at all elevations. They have been triggered by humans, explosives, and naturally.

On Monday there were reports of a few human triggered wind slab avalanches up to size 1.5 on north aspects at treeline, and several natural and explosives triggered avalanches up to size 3 on primarily north and east aspects in the alpine and at treeline.

There was a notable avalanche reported in the northern Monashees on Saturday. It was a natural size 4 persistent slab avalanche. It was triggered by a wind slab avalanche that stepped down to a deeper layer.

There was also a notable size 3 persistent slab avalanche in the northern Selkirks on Saturday that was triggered by explosives on a southwest aspect in the alpine.

Continuous stormy weather has brought 50-90 cm of new snow to the region over the past week or so. This has been accompanied by strong southwest winds and warm temperatures, which will be promoting slab development in the alpine and at treeline.

The storms have brought rain at lower elevations, so the snow surface is likely moist or wet below about 1300 m in most areas.

There is a weak layer of surface hoar that is now buried 90 to 170 cm. This layer is suspected to have produced sporadic recent large avalanches in the region.

• Avoid freshly wind loaded terrain features.
• Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect and exposure to wind.