Balmy B.C. weekend ahead, but ‘very dangerous’ avalanche conditions forecast

British Columbians will have a chance to bask in the sun this weekend as the year’s first bout of warm weather arrives.

But people recreating in the backcountry are also being warned of “very dangerous” avalanche conditions due to the heat.

Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau said a strong ridge of high pressure is building over much of B.C. over the weekend, bringing sunny conditions and temperatures well above seasonal averages.

“Our daytime highs this time of year are closer to 10 C, so we are looking at conditions in that sort of five to 10 degrees above seasonal range,” she said.

“We are getting close to some of our daily temperature records we have set in the past.”

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In the Lower Mainland, that will mean temperatures of about 15 C near the water and topping 20 C in the Fraser Valley and inland Metro Vancouver.

While those temperatures along with the presence of cool overnight lows means there won’t likely be any heat warnings, the shift in weather brings danger of another type.

Avalanche Canada has issued warnings of its own, with terrain in the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky, Vancouver Island, eastern B.C. and the North Coast all listed as “High Risk.”

“In the majority of our regions, we are forecasting for high avalanche danger in the alpine, treeline, and below treeline,” Avalanche Canada forecaster Lynnea Baker said.

The warmer weather is expected to push freezing above 3,000 metres, well into the alpine, Baker explained.

That brings a multitude of risks, including the potential for melting cornices to fall, for melt on the surface of snowpack and for humans to disturb weakened layers of snow.

“That’s going to have a large impact on the snowpack and we are expecting to see a lot of natural and human-triggered avalanches through the weekend because of that,” she said.

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Avalanche Canada is urging people to stick to simple terrain and stay out of high-risk areas.

Anyone who chooses to head into the mountain backcountry should check the Avalanche Canada bulletin, understand the forecast and ensure they have the education and rescue tools necessary in the case of a slide.

Meanwhile, in the city, businesses are gearing up for the unofficial launch of spring and summer.

In Langley, Camp Beer Co. is one of scores of businesses hoping to do busy trade on the patio.

“There is a definite change from January, February to March, with the people that come out, the happiness of the people that come out, on our books, everything,” general manager Kevin Larsen said.

“There’s a big jump right about now. Now is the beginning of patio weather — people want to get out and about, get sunshine, get some fresh air. This is the start of the season.”

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With many hospitality businesses still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the sunshine and “good vibes” are an important chance to get things back on track, Larsen added.

Ironically, the balmy weather is forecast to start fading just as spring officially begins on Tuesday.

Charbonneau said peak temperatures are expected between Saturday and Monday, before beginning to slide back closer to seasonal averages mid-week, with rain possible by the following weekend.