Boletín de aludes

Chic-Choc Mountains

Feb 28 – Mar 2, 2026Avalanche Canada
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Archivado · caducó 7 months ago

Peligro de aludes

Mon
Tue
Alta montaña
3 · Notable
Límite del bosque
3 · Notable
Bajo el límite
2 · Moderado
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Lo esencial

The combined impact of Saturday's strong winds and high freezing level and the precipitation expected between now and Sunday remains difficult to predict, making it challenging to assess the true avalanche risk.

In this context, be cautious: reduce your level of exposure and allow yourself time to frequently reassess conditions in the mountains.

Problemas de aludes

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta montaña
    • Límite del bosque
    • Bajo el límite del bosque
    Probabilidad
    Likely
    Tamaño
    1–2

    We still have a lot of uncertainty about the extent of the wind slab problem for Sunday. Extreme winds can have very variable effects: forming very hard slabs, sublimating some of the available snow (making it disappear), or even transporting it and depositing it lower down in the valleys. In this context, a conservative approach is required. Remain alert for signs of recent loading and any indications of instability.

    If slabs have formed, they will mainly be found on leeward slopes, below ridges and convexities, as well as in areas of lateral loading. With such strong winds, these slabs could develop lower than usual, possibly even below the tree line. The wind shifting to the north-west but remaining strong on Sunday could continue the formation of slabs, but this time on the south and south-east slopes ... if there is still snow available for transport.

Confidence

Low

  • We are uncertain about forecast precipitation amounts.
  • We are uncertain due to the variability of wind effect on the snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

Although this is outside our forecast area, there appears to be instability in the snowpack along the coast of the Haute-Gaspésie:

https://avalanche.ca/mountain-information-network/submissions/dc97640e-14f0-11f1-9993-0a58a9feac02

https://avalanche.ca/mountain-information-network/submissions/42cd4507-1369-11f1-9844-0a58a9feac02

If you head into the backcountry, thanks for sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).

Snowpack Summary

When we passed through the mountains on Saturday, just before the precipitation began, an extreme southwesterly wind was already sweeping across the Madeleine Mines, intensely redistributing the available snow. The same phenomenon was observable at Mount Albert. A wind of this strength generally causes significant spatial variability in mountain snow cover. It is therefore likely that the landscape will have changed markedly by Sunday.

Before the arrival of this low-pressure system, accumulations were already highly variable depending on the area. Since last Monday, the southern part of the zone (Mount Lyall, Hog's Back and Mount Albert) has received 15 to 20 cm of very light snow, while the Madeleine Mines area has recorded more than 30 cm. This snow lay on firm surfaces, even on a crust on sunny slopes in alpine terrain and at the tree line. The western slopes were already largely bare.

In areas sheltered from the wind and below the tree line, this new snow covers a gradually denser snowpack, down to the weak layers of faceted grains and depth hoar present at the base.

At mid-mountain, the average snow depth is approximately 125 cm.

Weather Summary

WEATHER FOR THE CHIC-CHOCS RIDGES AND PEAKS

Cold temperatures and north-westerly winds will return with a vengeance on Sunday. A few residual snow showers are possible as the St-Lawrence river is freed of its ice by Saturday's extreme southerly winds.

Saturday evening and night: A few snow showers ending around midnight, 3 to 5 cm. West wind 30 to 70 km/h. Significant cooling, low -19.

Sunday: Alternating sunshine and clouds, light snow in the morning. Northwest wind 30 to 50 km/h. High -20°C.

Monday: Sunny. Northwest wind 30 to 50 km/h. High -19.

Tuesday: Alternating sun and clouds. Southwest wind 30 to 60 km/h. High -6.


For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Strong wind is building wind slabs farther downslope than usual.
  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind-affected terrain.

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