Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Nov 22nd, 2025–Nov 23rd, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Early Season
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Early Season
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Early Season

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Little Yoho, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

Time to dial things back until the new snow has a chance to settle and bond.

The avalanche hazard is increasing with new snow and strong winds continuing on Sunday. We expect to see some natural avalanches and be able to trigger fresh slabs in steep terrain.

Forecasted snow amounts vary...monitor local accumulations carefully.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Some new small natural wind slab avalanches were reported on Friday and Saturday. Local ski areas were able to trigger small wind slabs up to size 1.5. We expect avalanche activity to increase in the next 12-24 hrs.

Snowpack Summary

5-15 cm of new snow on Saturday with moderate to strong SW winds is creating fresh wind slabs in alpine and exposed treeline terrain. Below this, most observations suggest a generally well-settled Rockies snowpack with no significant weak layers. Last week’s warm, wet weather produced a Nov 13 rain crust up to 2300 m. Overall, early-season travel conditions are good, with treeline snow depths of 40–80 cm.

Weather Summary

Forecast snow amounts vary, with anywhere from 10-30 cm by Sunday night in the alpine. Moderate to strong SW winds (30-50 km/h in the alpine) will continue through Sunday, and ease Monday morning as the direction turns to a Northerly flow. Weekend treeline temperatures stay around -4 °C.

Click here for Environment Canada links to weather tables for the region.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded features, especially near ridge crests, rollovers, and in steep terrain.
  • Be careful with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.

Problems

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.

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.