Experts warn atmospheric river increasing avalanche risk in B.C.

Avalanche Canada has issued a high-avalanche warning for the North Shore Mountains and the Sea-to-Sky and Whistler area.

The non-government organization says the atmospheric river covering most of B.C. this week impacts avalanche conditions.

On a scale up to a maximum of five, Avalanche Canada is rating the hazard level in the mountainous areas around Garibaldi Park and the Coast Mountains at a four.

“With rising temperatures and lots of precipitation, we have already elevated the avalanche hazard just with the extra load on the snowpack,” Avalanche Canada forecaster Paul Kehler said.

He tells 1130 NewsRadio that loose avalanche activity is expected for the areas in the next few days.

He explains that weather changes mean changes in avalanche conditions.

“High freezing levels up to 1,800 to 2,400 metres with 45 to 80 mm of rain is expected before the end of the day tomorrow,” he said.

“This just adds a lot of weight to the snow that’s already there and destabilizes the soft snow on the surface as it gets saturated. With water, it just starts to fall down the mountain if the slope is steep enough for it to slide.”

The organization warns people taking advantage of the upcoming spring break holidays and venturing to ski areas around the province to stay away from dangerous areas.

“We highly recommend avoiding all avalanche drain at this time and don’t expose yourself to overhead hazards like cornices or avalanche run out zones,” Kehler said.

Those areas include any slope greater than a 30-degree incline.

Avalanche Canada’s warning system includes three elevation levels: the areas below the treelines, the treeline area, and the top of the mountains or alpine surroundings.

Starting Tuesday, the high avalanche warning applies to all elevation levels in the Whistler area and the North Shore Mountains.