An avalanche warning is in effect for backcountry areas across B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Interior, effective till after New Years Day.

Avalanche Canada and Parks Canada issued the Special Public Avalanche Warning on Wednesday (Dec. 28).

The warning covers most of the provinceB次元官网网址檚 Columbia Mountains, Glacier and Mount Revelstoke National Parks and the Northern Rockies and also extends from the southern boundaries of the Purcell Wilderness Conservancy, Kokanee and Valhalla Provincial Parks and Williston Lake north of Pine Pass and Mackenize.

B次元官网网址淭he snowpack is currently in a precarious state,B次元官网网址� said Simon Horton, senior forecaster for Avalanche Canada.

B次元官网网址淭he storm cycles that hit western Canada over the past weekend added significant snow on top of an exceptionally weak lower snowpack. This has brought the conditions to a tipping point where dangerous avalanches are likely.B次元官网网址�

This winter began with a long cold and dry stretch, which created numerous persistent weak layers in the snowpack across B.C.B次元官网网址檚 interior mountain ranges. After the recent storm with warm weather and rain, that weak snowpack has now become destabilized.

These conditions mean large, human-triggered avalanches are likely.

B次元官网网址淲hile avalanche danger ratings may start to decrease as the weather improves, there will still be a chance of triggering a large avalanche,B次元官网网址� Horton said.

If venturing into the backcountry, Avalanche Canada advises making conservative terrain choices to minimize risk. This includes staying on lower-angled slopes and choosing smaller objectives that minimize the consequences of potential avalanches.

Up-to-date forecasts can always be found at avalanche.ca. Avalanche Canada recommends everyone in a backcountry party to bring essential gear: a transceiver, probe and shovel, plus the training to use them.