East Kootenay backcountry enthusiasts need to be aware of avalanche conditions throughout the month.
This from Avalanche Canada, who says March is traditionally the deadliest time of the year for slides and unstable conditions.
Forecaster Cam Campbell says areas around the Alberta border contain significant avalanche triggers.
“We’re dealing with about 50-100 centimetres of snow that fell over the Purcell mountains over the last week or so and that’s bonding poorly to the previous snow service,” Campbell says. “Winds have exasperated the problem. We expect sun exposure as well to rapidly destabilize the storm snow.”
15 people died from slides across the province in 2016, above the yearly average of 12 fatalities a year in Canada.
Campbell says fluctuating temperatures throughout the month create an unpredictable snowpack that even those trained in avalanche safety should avoid.
– Avalanche Canada Forecaster, Cam Campbell
– Jeff Johnson
