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Avalanche danger in backcountry

Courtesy Canadian Avalanche Centre

OKANAGAN — A brutal storm blanketing mountain ranges in and around the Okanagan could cause between 50 cm and one meter of snow by Sunday.

Avalanche forecasters say that much snow in such a short period of time can be deadly if the proper precautions aren’t taken.

“When you add that amount of new snow to the mountains, avalanches start happening, so we expect ourselves to be in a natural avalanche cycle [Saturday] and probably [Sunday]. What that means for people is high avalanche hazard,” says Canadian Avalanche Centre Forecaster, Ilya Storm.

Parts of the Okanagan and the B.C. Interior are under a high danger rating for avalanches.

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Avalanche forecasters are asking people stay out of avalanche terrain as conditions are very unstable and can change in an instant.

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The South Columbia region, which includes Vernon, Salmon Arm, Revelstoke and all communities in between are under that high danger rating.

Even in the Central and South Okanagan conditions are not favourable with a considerate avalanche risk.

The biggest areas of concern though are east of the Okanagan Valley including the Monashee and Selkirk mountains along with the Kootenay boundary.

The Canadian Avalanche Centre creates new forecasts daily and is asking anyone to check the latest conditions on its website before venturing out into the backcountry.

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