Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 4th, 2025–Apr 5th, 2025

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

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.

Regions

South Rockies, Akamina, Bull, Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South, Elkford East, Elkford West.

Another warm-up brings rising freezing levels and sunny conditions.

Expect increasing avalanche activity within the recent storm snow.

Take time to read the new forecasters' blog.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, numerous storm slabs and dry loose avalanches (up to size 1.5) were reported in the region. The storm slabs were generally in wind-affected terrain and were natural and human-triggered.

Expect increasing avalanche activity within the recent snow with the forecasted warm weather.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 25 cm of rapidly settling snow sits on a thick and supportive crust from late March. The snow surface is either moist or capped with a thin melt-freeze crust on all aspects and all elevations, except for high north-facing terrain.

A weak layer of facets from late January can still be found down around 1 meter. This layer may remain a concern where the late March crust isn't present, such as high north-facing terrain.

The snowpack is quickly disappearing below treeline.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Clear. 15 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level returning to valley bottom.

Saturday

Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4 °C Freezing level rising to 2500 m.

Sunday

Sunny. 15 to 25 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +6° C. Freezing level around 3000 m.

Monday

Mix of sun and clouds. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +5 °C. Freezing level around 2800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.
Limit exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.
Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

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.

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.