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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 18th, 2025–Mar 19th, 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 unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

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

Southwest winds formed slabs that may be reactive to human triggers.

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

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Monday, several skier triggered wind slabs up to size 1 and several explosive triggered storm slabs up to size 2 were reported on a variety of aspects at treeline and above.

On Sunday, a naturally triggered size 3 avalanche was reported on a northeast facing, large, steep, and convex slope in the alpine. The avalanche was observed from a distance and the type is unknown.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 40 cm of recent snow and southwest winds formed slabs that may be reactive to human triggers.

In most areas, the storm snow rests on a melt-freeze crust, except for high elevation north and east facing slopes.

A persistent weak layer of surface hoar or facets from late January is down 50 to 100 cm. Rocky slopes with a convex shape on northerly and easterly facing aspects at treeline and above are the most likely places to trigger this layer.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Clear skies, 10 to 20 km/h west ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -10 °C, freezing level valley bottom.

Wednesday

Sunny, 10 to 20 km/h southwest ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -4 °C, freezing level 1700 m.

Thursday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 0-5 cm, 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -4 °C, freezing level 1700 m.

Friday

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 3-10 cm snow, 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds, treeline temperature -3 °C, freezing level 1800 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.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.
  • Even brief periods of direct sun could produce natural avalanches.
  • Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.

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.

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.