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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 22nd, 2025–Mar 23rd, 2025

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

Regions

Purcells, Dogtooth, East Purcell, West Purcell.

Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Persistent and wind slab avalanches have been reported daily in the Purcells. Preliminary reports from Saturday include a size 2 wind slab that stepped down to a persistent weak layer. On Thursday, two size 1.5 slabs were remotely triggered from 60 m away in an alpine bowl, and two naturally triggered persistent slabs were observed on north and east alpine aspects. More avalanche activity has been reported in the central Purcells near Invermere than in the Dogtooth Range.

Snowpack Summary

10 to 20 cm of recent snow and southwest wind have formed small wind slabs on lee aspects at treeline and above.

An interface from early March, 30 to 50 cm deep, consists of a crust on sunny slopes and lower elevations, and surface hoar or facets in sheltered, shaded upper elevations.

Persistent weak layers from February and January, including crusts, facets, and surface hoar, are buried 50 to 100 cm deep and remain a concern.

The bottom of the snowpack is composed of large facets, which are becoming reactive again, with some very large avalanches recently failing on this layer.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.

Sunday

Cloudy with 1 to 4 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Monday

Cloudy with 5 to 10 cm of snow above 2000 m and rain below. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy with 2 to 5 mm of rain. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature +1 °C. Freezing level 2400 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.

Problems

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.

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.