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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 19th, 2026–Mar 20th, 2026

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary, Purcells, Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, Ymir, Crawford, St. Mary, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla.

Avoid avalanche terrain and exposure to overhead avalanche terrain.

Heavy rain and high freezing levels will continue to create very dangerous conditions.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain about how persistent slabs will react to the forecast weather.
  • We are uncertain about forecast rain amounts.

Avalanche Summary

On Wednesday and Thursday, natural wet avalanche cycles were reported (up to size 2.5) throughout the region, including wet loose, wet slabs and cornice falls at treeline and above from all aspects.

Looking ahead, natural avalanches are expected, particularly in areas where avalanche paths have not yet released.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels and steady rain are continuing to soak the top 20 to 50 cm of surface snow up to the mountain tops.

A crust, buried in early March, is down 30 to 50 cm on all aspects. The thickness of the crust depends on elevation (1 to 10 cm).

At upper elevations, where the crust is thinner or not present, problematic persistent slabs linger. They consist of multiple buried weak layers of surface hoar and/or crusts in the top 120 cm of the snowpack.

The mid/lower snowpack is well settled and strong in most areas.

The snowpack rapidly diminishes at lower elevations and is moist to the ground in shallower areas.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night
Cloudy. 10 to 20 mm of rain at treeline. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Friday
Cloudy. 10 to 20 mm of rain at treeline. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Saturday
Cloudy. 2 cm of snow at treeline. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 2 cm of snow at treeline. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain; avalanches may run surprisingly far.
  • Wet avalanche activity may step down to deeply buried persistent weak layers at lower elevations.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
  • Keep in mind that the high density of wet avalanches can make them destructive.

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.

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

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.