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Check snow conditions before heading into backcountry

Snow is in the forecast and that means that people should be aware of avalanche conditions in the backcountry as the weekend approaches.
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Snow is in the forecast and that means that people should be aware of avalanche conditions in the backcountry as the weekend approaches.

As of Thursday afternoon, avalanche conditions are listed as considerable in alpine areas of the region, and moderate in the treeline and below.

Julie McBride, a public forecaster with Avalanche Canada, says the weather patterns over the last week has made it tricky to pin down snowfall amounts.

The Lizard Range and Flathead area is expected to receive potentially up to 30 centimetres of snow by the end of Friday, while snow is also forecasted in the Purcells and South Rockies regions.

“We’re not expecting [danger ratings] to change too dramatically, everything is going be sitting on that considerable to moderate rating,” said McBride. “That said, if we get a lot more snow or a lot more wind — right now it’s looking like the winds are going to be light to moderate, but if we get a lot more wind, the hazard could increase beyond that moderate rating, for sure.”

Anyone wishing to head out for backcountry recreation can get updated reports on conditions by visiting the Avalanche Canada website.



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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