A dramatic increase in temperatures in Western Canada has prompted an avalanche warning for mountainous regions.ty
The sudden shift from cool, winter-like conditions will create dangerous avalanche conditions, according to Avalanche Canada.
“Temperatures are going to be 5 to 10 degrees above average Thursday through Saturday across most of B.C.,” said Global BC meteorologist Kristi Gordon.
“We will see a brief drop in daytime highs Sunday and Monday before they climb once again. Overall conditions are expected to remain above seasonal throughout the next couple of weeks.”
“The effect of the warm temperatures on the existing snowpack structure means that these avalanches will likely be very large and may run to valley bottoms,” Avalanche Canada said in the warning.
“Dangerous avalanche conditions exist for all mountainous regions in western Canada and the hazard increases with each day of warm air.”
All backcountry enjoyers, including hikers, skiers and snowmobilers, are advised to leave a “wide margin for error” during the warning and should stick to simple, low-angle terrain and avoid all overhead hazards.
Regions with persistent or deep persistent slab avalanche problems are heightened areas of concern, as avalanches could involve the full depth of the snowpack.
Avalanche Canada is also warning about large cornice falls. Cornice falls can be destructive and can also act as a trigger for deep avalanches.
A cornice fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow.
The warning follows two fatal avalanches within the last couple of weeks.
A 21-year-old Red Deer man was killed in an avalanche near Lake Louise, Alta., on April 23.
On April 16, a snowmobiler was killed in an avalanche north of Panorama, B.C. Avalanche Canada said a party of three was snowmobiling above Whirlpool Lake when two riders were caught in an avalanche that was reportedly triggered near a rocky feature on a slope.
One rider managed to ride off to the side, avoiding the avalanche, but the other was buried in roughly two metres of snow. The other members of the party pulled the person out of the snow and performed CPR. Columbia Valley Search and Rescue evacuated the rider via helicopter to B.C. Ambulance Service in Invermere, B.C., but the person did not survive.
— with files from Global News’ Meaghan Archer
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