We expect large avalanches to run to historic runouts over the next several days.
It is a good time to stay out of avalanche terrain
Mt Stephen avalanche closure zone is CLOSED on Wednesday March 18th, 2026
Strong to extreme winds, warming temperatures and ongoing snowfall will continue to form widespread wind slabs at treeline and above.
A layer of facets and/or surface hoar is buried 40–100 cm deep. Warming temperatures and added load due to wind, snow and/ or rain will make this layer active over the next few days. We expect large and destructive avalanches running to the end of historical runouts!
Strong to extreme winds and/ or warming and rain are initiating loose dry and/ or wet avalanches in steep terrain. Avoid all avalanche terrain.
A significant and widespread natural avalanche cycle is expected to begin Tuesday afternoon and will likely continue through the end of the week.
10- 20 cm of snow or equivalent rain at lower elevations has fallen since March 16th. This, combined with strong to extreme S/SW winds and warm temperatures are loading persistent weak layers comprised of FC and SH which are now down 50-120 cm. We expect this load to overload these layers in the next few days which will trigger a widespread avalanche cycle. Warm temperatures and isothermal snow could result in avalanches running on deeper basal layers as well.
We are at the start of four days of warm wet weather as a series of atmospheric rivers hits the Rockies. Freezing levels are forecast to be ~ 1900m - 2,300 m with heavy precipitation of 20-40cm of snow or equivalent rain per day. Snow accumulations of 40 to 80+ cm are possible by the end of the week. Winds are forecast to reach extreme levels from the S/SW throughout the storm.
