UPDATE – 

Avalanche Canada, along with Parks Canada and Alberta’s Kananaskis Country has issued a Special Public Avalanche Warning for recreational backcountry users, in effect immediately.

 

The warning is all over western Canada, and it’s because of the significant warm temperatures expected in the area this week,

Public Avalanche Forecaster Josh Smith says the warming trend this week is higher than seasonal normals.

“The thing that is very unusual is the very cold, clear drought weather we had during the month of February and it was during that time that created some pretty significant weak layers,” he said.

“And so now we’re in a situation which is likely going to create avalanches on those steeper weak layers.”

Smith is urging caution as he expects these conditions to last through the week, coinciding with Spring Break.

 

ORIGINAL – Avalanche Canada has upgraded the danger rating to high for the alpine and treeline elevations in the North and South Columbia ranges, as well as in Kootenay Boundary.

They say travelling in avalanche terrain today is risky, because of the warmer weather.

In the Columbias and the Kootenay Boundary ranges, the risk is considerable below the treeline.

Conditions are also similar in the Lower Mainland, especially on the North Shore mountains, with a rapidly weakening snowpack.

Avalanche Canada forecasters say warm weather could destabilize the upper 20 to 30 cm of snow and a natural avalanche cycle is very likely, with even deeper avalanches also possible.

There were no injuries after a vehicle was caught in a snow slide on Highway One, east of Revelstoke yesterday.

The highway was closed for hours for avalanche control.