Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 25th, 2025–Apr 28th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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

It may still be possible to trigger avalanches in extreme terrain.

Monitor the surface crust. As it breaks down, start heading home.

Confidence

Low

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday, there was a large cornice failure that triggered a wet loose avalanche out of extreme terrain.

Observations are limited at this time of year.

Snowpack Summary

A thin, surface crust is likely to form overnight and may break down each day. On northerly slopes in the alpine, there is 10 to 20 cm of preserved soft snow over settled old snow. Everywhere else there is a thick crust buried 10 to 20 cm deep.

Most terrain has undergone strong melt-freeze cycles, creating a strong, well bonded snowpack.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Partly cloudy. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.

Saturday

Mix of sun and clouds. 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy with 0 to 10 cm of snow. 10 to 20 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Monday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow. 40 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche danger will increase as the surface crust breaks down.
Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.