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BC-wide avalanche warning

The province has been hit by a number of severe snowstorms this week, creating unstable conditions in the backcountry. 

The new snow is not bonding with the old snow. 

Avalanche Canada has issued a Special Public Avalanche Warning for recreational backcountry users, effective immediately which will last until the end of day Sunday, Dec. 16. 

The warning applies to the following forecast regions: Lizard Range and Flathead, Purcells, Kootenay Boundary, North Rockies, South & North Columbia, Cariboos, Vancouver Island, Sea-to-Sky, South Coast, South Coast Inland and Northwest Coastal. 

"Our main concern is that we are expecting the weather to clear on Saturday," explains James Floyer, senior avalanche forecaster for Avalanche Canada. "After all this rain in the valleys, backcountry users are going to want to hit the alpine but that’s where the danger is greatest. There’s a very weak layer now buried anywhere between 60 and 150 cm. Any avalanche triggered on that layer will definitely be life-threatening."
 
Avalanche Canada is warning anyone heading into higher elevation terrain to be aware of the hazard. 

"This means skiers and boarders leaving ski resort boundaries and snowmobilers riding at or above the treeline," stated Floyer. "Everyone in a backcountry party needs the essential rescue gear—transceiver, probe and shovel—and know how to use it."

And always check the current avalanche conditions at www.avalanche.ca.

For a map of the regions involved, click here



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