Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 24th, 2025–Dec 27th, 2025

Alpine

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

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 unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Merry Christmas! 30-40cm of snow over the past few days will be redistributed by the incoming moderate to strong winds initiating a natural avalanche cycle in alpine areas. The 25th will be a good day to limit your exposure to avalanche terrain.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

Natural avalanches up to sz 2-3 have been continuing over the past days. The largest events have been on N and E aspects with deep fracture lines suspected on the Basal facets and crust layers.

A recent Skier remote avalanche in the Black prince area highlights the touchy nature of the current snowpack and skiers should give steeper terrain a pass while the snowpack adjusts to the new load.

An older Avalanche in the Murrays Moraines area took out 4 Ha of forest in the valley floor. The avalanche likely originated on the run commonly know as Sweet Sixteen or as the forecasters call it, The Dark Knight.

Snowpack Summary

8-15cm of snow fell throughout the Day on Christmas eve adding to the recent snow from this past week. Forecasters were unable to access Alpine terrain to assess the winds, but weather stations are indicating a moderate westerly wind continued. In total around 100cm is overlying the Dec 16th interface which is being found to 2100m. Wind slabs are widespread in the alpine and on lee and cross-loaded features at treeline. These wind slabs are likely to be sensitive to skier traffic as indicated by a recent remote triggered avalanche in the Black prince area. The November crust is now down 130-180cm, and is showing signs of faceting around this crust layer. Recent avalanches in the upper snowpack have stepped down to this interface producing large destructive avalanches.

Weather Summary

Light snow will continue on the 24th with an additional 5-10cm. Christmas day will give moderate-strong westerly winds and clearing skies. Boxing day looks to be a return to scatterred flurries and tempertures begin to really get cold on the 27th!

https://hpfx.collab.science.gc.ca/~fsg006/productviewer/ab/table/AB_Rockies_Forecast.html

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid lee and cross-loaded slopes at alpine and treeline elevations.
If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
Avoid areas with overhead hazard.
Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.