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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2026–Apr 24th, 2026

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

Regions

Northwest Inland, Seven Sisters, Howson, Kispiox, Microwave-Sinclair, Ningunsaw, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Dangerous avalanche conditions are expected late in the day as freezing levels continue to rise.

Conditions will deteriorate sooner than expected if a strong crust does not form overnight.

Confidence

Low

  • We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.
  • We are uncertain about how the timing or intensity of warming will affect the snowpack.
  • We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported.

We suspect the current weather is driving the avalanche danger in the afternoons, producing wet loose avalanches up to size 2.

Large (up to size 3) persistent slab avalanches have been reported periodically over the past couple of weeks, likely during periods of warming, solar radiation, and/or wind loading. The most recent report occurred within the past few days on an east aspect at approximately 1700 m (see photo below for details).

Snowpack Summary

A widespread surface crust is expected to form overnight at treeline and above, with crust thickness and strength varying with the quality of the overnight refreeze. Isolated north-facing areas in high-alpine terrain may still hold pockets of dry, loose surface snow.

Below treeline, a limited or lack of overnight refreeze will result in a moist or isothermal upper snowpack.

A layer of weak, sugary snow over a thick crust is buried 100 to 200 cm and continues to produce large, surprising avalanches.

With daytime warming and sun, the snowpack will weaken throughout the day.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night
Clear skies. 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Friday
Sunny. 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.

Saturday
Mostly sunny. 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 2500 m.

Sunday
Mostly sunny. Chance of light rain at treeline. 10 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 2300 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Think carefully about your exit plan from the backcountry because avalanche danger is expected to increase throughout the day.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.
  • Avalanche danger will increase as the surface crust breaks down.
  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.

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.

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.