Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 13th, 2026–Mar 14th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

The persistent slab remains a concern and has potential to produce large avalanches. Use cautious route-finding and conservative terrain selection to manage this problem.

Wind slabs are reactive to human triggers and may initiate the persistent slab.

Confidence

Moderate

We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche control at Parker Ridge on Thursday produced wind slabs up to size 2.

Snowpack Summary

Strong winds have scoured fetches and formed wind slabs on leeward features. A persistent weak layer of surface hoar and facets from January 24 is buried 20-80 cm. A number of natural avalanches that have failed on this layer in the past week. Below, the snowpack is generally well consolidated facets to ground.

Icefields snow depths range from 130-200 cm and snow depth in the Maligne area ranges from 60-140 cm.

Weather Summary

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries bringing a trace of new snow.

Alpine temperature -13 °C with light ridge wind to 15 km/h.

Sunday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries.

Alpine Low -18 °C, High -12 °C with Light ridge wind.

Monday

Cloudy with no snow expected. Alpine Low -15 °C, High -4 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 10 km/h. Freezing level will rise to 1600 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.