Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 5th, 2025–Apr 6th, 2025

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, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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

Avalanche danger is expected to increase throughout the day as the sun will change the snow surface rapidly.

Read the new forecasters' blog.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, skiers remotely triggered a slab on a northeasterly lee ridge feature at treeline near Mt. Fisher. Evidence from last week's natural avalanche cycle continued to be reported throughout the region.

Expect increasing avalanche activity within the surface snow with the forecasted warm weather.

Snowpack Summary

A spring diurnal cycle occurred up to 2000 m. The surface is either moist or capped with a thin crust on all aspects and elevations except for high northerly slopes where up to 25 cm of settled snow overlies a thick and supportive crust from late March.

The snowpack is quickly disappearing below treeline.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Clear. 15 to 25 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C Freezing level around 1000 m with temperature inversion.

Sunday

Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +6° C. Freezing level around 3000 m.

Monday

Mix of sun and clouds. 30 to 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +4 °C. Freezing level around 2500 m.

Tuesday

Cloudy with up to 5 cm of wet snow. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level around 2000 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Carefully manage your exposure to overhead hazards.
Limit exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.
Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

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.