Avalanche Canada has issued a special public avalanche warning that encompasses the Cariboo Mountains.
The original warning went into effect Thursday, the Cariboo mountains were added Friday, Feb. 26.
It will extend through the weekend and Avalanche Canada forecasters will reassess the situation on Monday to determine if the warning should be extended into next week.
Other areas that fall under the warning are North Rockies, South Rockies, Lizard and Flathead and Waterton Lakes National Park.
An arctic front will move over the B.C. Interior ranges Friday with a warm front quickly behind it on Saturday that is expected to bring snow with it.
“The next wave of storms is going to make for great riding but will also increase the load on these persistent weak layers, making avalanches even easier to trigger,” noted Avalanche Canada’s warning service manager Karl Klassen.
“This string of fatal and serious incidents should be a wake-up call for all backcountry users. This layer is deep enough that it’s not easily seen, but large and destructive human triggered avalanches are expected.”
Backcountry users should always check their regional avalanche forecasts at www.avalanche.ca, he added, noting everyone in a backcountry party needs the essential rescue gear—transceiver, probe, and shovel—and the knowledge to use it.
For Williams Lake, Environment Canada is predicting a chance of flurries on Saturday, with a high of 8C for Sunday.
The forecast calls for snow in Quesnel on Saturday, with a high of 8C on Sunday as well. In 100 Mile House, periods of light snow are anticipated Saturday with highs of 3C on Sunday.
Read more: Avy Savvy: Avalanche Canada introduces online tutorial for backcountry beginners
According to the Avalanche Canada website, there have been six people killed in avalanches this winter in B.C. since Nov. 28, 2020.
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