Canadian Avalanche Hit During a Snowmobile Contest
Royal Canadian Mounted Police directing traffic for avalanche search and rescue operations near Revelstoke, B.C., on Saturday, March 13, 2010. (AP Photo/ David Rooney)
A massive avalanche occurred on Boulder Mountain near Revelstoke, located in the northern Rockies of British Columbia, Canada, on Saturday. The avalanche struck during the afternoon, while 200 people were participating in a snowmobile contest at the base of the mountain.
According to the Canadian Press, at least three people were killed and a dozen others were injured. An unknown number of people are still missing. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing.
The risk for avalanches was very high on Saturday, following a late-week snowstorm that dumped new snow on top of older and unstable layers of snowpack. It had been nearly 8 weeks since a significant snowstorm had hit southeastern British Columbia.
The Canadian Avalanche Centre had warned earlier in the week of a high to extreme risk of avalanches this weekend across British Columbia.
It will be dry and mostly cloudy for rescue efforts today as an area of high pressure builds into the northern Rockies. It will also be quite mild with a high in the lower 50s expected at Revelstoke.
A storm impacting western parts of British Columbia today with a soaking, windswept rain and mountain snow, will impact the site of the avalanche with rain showers late tonight and early on Monday. The light rain could hamper rescue efforts, while further destabilizing the snowpack.
A steadier rain and mountain snow will return to the area on Tuesday into Wednesday.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 82° | Gila Bend, AZ |
| Low | -13° | Clayton Lake, ME |
| Precip | 1.24" | Spanish Fork, UT |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
This Day In Weather History
Gulf Coast 1 (899)
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