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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 16th, 2025–Mar 17th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

North Rockies, Sugarbowl, East Kakwa, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Renshaw, Tumbler.

The wind has redistributed the new snow into wind slabs. Use caution as you transfer into wind-affected terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A few small to large (size 1 to 2) wind slab avalanches out of steep alpine terrain were reported since Tuesday.

Snowpack Summary

20 to 30 cm of snow that in isolated areas is up to 60 cm has accumulated in the past week. This storm snow has formed a slab and overlies a hard melt-freeze crust and perhaps isolated surface hoar crystals in wind-sheltered treeline terrain.

Variable winds have created windslabs on all aspects near or just below ridge crests.

The snow may be deeper and touchier in wind-exposed lee features.

A weak layer of surface hoar and/or faceted grains buried mid-February is around 50 to 100 cm deep, but is showing signs of strengthening.

The lower snowpack is well-settled.

Weather Summary

Sunday night

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Monday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Tuesday

Mix of sun and cloud with 1 to 5 cm of snow. 30 to 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind-exposed terrain.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.

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.