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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 2nd, 2026–Jan 3rd, 2026

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

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

Expect storm slab reactivity to increase throughout the day. Accumulating snow will further stress a weak layer buried on Christmas.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Forecast precipitation (either snow or rain) amounts are uncertain.

Avalanche Summary

Explosive control work on Wednesday produced mostly small slab avalanches (size 1–1.5) in alpine terrain. Despite a strong, artificial trigger (explosives), these avalanches showed minimal propagation.

Numerous small skier-triggered avalanches occurred early this week, failing on the Dec. 25 crust. Most of these avalanches occurred on northerly terrain around treeline elevations.

Snowpack Summary

New snow is gradually burying a variety of old surfaces, including surface hoar in wind-sheltered terrain and a sun crust on south-facing slopes at treeline and above.

Since Christmas, approximately 30 to 60 cm of snow has accumulated over a melt-freeze crust that is thin or absent in alpine terrain but thicker and more widespread at treeline and below.

The mid and lower snowpack is generally well-bonded and consolidated, with multiple crust layers present.

Weather Summary

Friday Night
Cloudy. 2 to 8 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1100 m.

Saturday
Cloudy. 5 to 15 cm of snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 30 cm of snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Monday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 15 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 900 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Minimize exposure during periods of heavy loading from new snow and wind.
  • Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 20 cm of new snow.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the crust.
  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.