Purcells

Storm snow combined with strong winds will build new slabs over a variety of surfaces, keeping avalanche hazard elevated.

Avoid exposure to avalanche terrain.

Moderate

• Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.
• Recent weather patterns have resulted in a high degree of snowpack variability within the region.

Numerous large avalanches were reported on Monday from heavy snow, wind and rain. Avalanches are expected to fail on mid storm layers and buried weak layers, producing large avalanches as seen in the last storm cycle.

On Wednesday, natural activity is expected with this pulse of snow and wind.

Roughly 20–30 cm of storm snow is expected to accumulate by Wednesday afternoon. This storm snow, coupled with strong southwest winds, will form new storm slabs over various surfaces—crusts at lower elevations and wind-affected, settled snow at upper elevations.

We continue to track two layers in the mid and lower snowpack:

• A surface hoar layer formed in early December, now buried 100–150 cm deep.

• A mid-November crust buried 100–180 cm deep, with faceted snow above it.

Tuesday Night
Cloudy. Up to 25 cm overnight, with highest amounts southeast of Revelstoke. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Wednesday
Cloudy. 7 to 10 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 15 to 20 cm of snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy. 4 to 7 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
• Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
• Avoid shallow snowpack areas, rocky outcrops, and steep terrain where triggering is most likely.