Avalanche Representational Image by Krzysztof Kowalik on Unsplash
Vancouver/IBNS: With dramatic rising temperatures due to winter transitioning to spring, backcountry users across western Canada have been warned of dangerous avalanche conditions.
Avalanche Canada Thursday issued a Special Public Avalanche Warning (SPAW) across western Canada which the group says is effective through May 1.
SPAW says that there is a likelihood of potential avalanches to be large that could run all the way to valley bottoms.
Mike Conlan, a senior avalanche forecaster with Avalanche Canada, warned that the level of danger that currently exists for all mountainous regions across the west, would increase with each day of warm air.
“Regions with persistent or deep persistent slab avalanche problems will be especially problematic, with avalanches potentially involving the full depth of the snowpack,” Conlan said in the release.
It is also likely, warned Avalanche Canada, that warming temperatures increase cornice galls, which can be destructive by themselves or as triggers for avalanches.
Anyone planning to go into the backcountry this weekend, is being warned by Bowinn Ma, B.C. ‘s minister of emergency management and climate readiness, to take the SPAW seriously.
“We cannot stress the importance of this avalanche warning enough,” Ma said in the statement.
“Sadly, 14 people have lost their lives to avalanches this year—many of whom were extremely experienced,” she continued.
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