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January 20, 2022 - 11:33 AM
Avalanche Canada has issued a special public avalanche warning for mountain ranges in southern B.C. and western Alberta.
The warning for recreational backcountry users across numerous forecast regions was issued today, Jan. 20, according to an Avalanche Canada media release.
The weather for the upcoming weekend is expected to be warm and sunny, which will have a destabilizing effect on the snowpack.
The special warning is in effect until the end of the day, Monday, Jan. 24., Avalanche Canada said.
It applies to the North and South Columbias, the Purcells, the Kootenay Boundary region, along with several national parks including Glacier, Banff, Yoho and Kootenay. It also applies to an area within the Sea-to-Sky and South Coast Inland regions, from Squamish to Pemberton.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Avalanche Canada
“There are persistent weak layers in the mountain snowpack across most of southern B.C. and western Alberta,” Avalanche Canada forecasting program supervisor James Foyer said in the release.
“This special warning targets regions where these layers have proven to be an issue. The combination of this snowpack structure and higher temperatures will make natural and human-triggered avalanches much more likely.”
There have been several close calls reported recently, with many large avalanches running the full extent of their paths.
“There is a lot of uncertainty with these weak layers,” Floyer said. “While we have targeted an area where we think there is a higher risk of triggering these deep weak layers, we also urge backcountry users in adjacent regions to exercise caution during this warming period.”
Avalanche Canada recommends everyone venturing into the backcountry to carry essential rescue gear which includes a transceiver, a probe and a shovel, along with the knowledge to use them.
Backcountry users can check regional avalanche forecasts at Avalanche Canada's website here.
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