South Columbia Avalanche Forecast

Date/Time issued: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Valid until: Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 6:00 PM

Next Scheduled Update: Friday, March 27, 2009

---------- Purcells ----------
  				Thursday 			Friday 				Saturday
Alpine 			3 - CONSIDERABLE 	3 - CONSIDERABLE 	3 - CONSIDERABLE
Treeline 		2 - MODERATE 		2 - MODERATE 		3 - CONSIDERABLE
Below Treeline 	2 - MODERATE 		2 - MODERATE 		2 - MODERATE

Confidence: Fair.

Primary Concerns:

    * Persistent Slab: Concern remains for buried persistent weak layers. These layer have the 
	  capability to produce large and dangerous avalanches.

Travel Advisory   Issued: Wed, Mar 25 Next Scheduled Update: Fri, Mar 27

During the past week, there were a number of avalanche accidents and close calls that occurred 
from near McBride south into the Kootenay Boundary area. These avalanches combined with knowledge 
of buried weak layers that are susceptible to triggering on certain terrain features, show us that 
there is little room for error. It remains essential to make safe terrain choices.

Avalanche Activity   Issued: Wed, Mar 25 Next Scheduled Update: Fri, Mar 27

The possibility remains that you may trigger avalanches on one of many different weak layers. These 
avalanches have the chance to be large, destructive and difficult to escape.

With relatively warm temperatures and sunny skies on Thursday, expect wet avalanches during the 
heat of the day. Most of these avalanches will be in the size 2 range, but the possibility exists 
for an avalanche to step down to deeper layers, fracture very wide and run larger than expected.

Snowpack   Issued: Wed, Mar 25 Next Scheduled Update: Fri, Mar 27

With spring quickly arriving our snow surfaces are now sporting crusts on all slopes except north 
and east facing above about 1600m. Below the surface crusts and on northerly aspects are a number 
of weaknesses that continue to show a high degree of variability in strength from valley to valley. 
These include, weak sugary layers and surface hoar buried in December, January, February and March.

Weather   Issued: Wed, Mar 25 Next Scheduled Update: Fri, Mar 27

Thursday: A ridge will bring mostly sunny skies, temperatures -1 to -5 at treeline and light winds. 
Friday: Cloudy skies, temperatures about -2 at treeline, moderate to strong westerly winds and the 
chance of light snow. 
Saturday: Models are uncertain regarding snowfall amounts. Up to 20cm is possible. 

Issued by: Greg Johnson