Avalanche forecast

South Columbia

Dec 19 – 20, 2025Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Storm snow continues to accumulate over a crust, creating dangerous avalanche conditions.

Avoid avalanche terrain, stick to low angle and back off if you see signs of instability.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    2–3

    Persistent weak layers remain capable of producing large avalanches, where there is no supportive crust. Avoid exposure to large open slopes.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Storm snow is expected to be reactive to natural and human triggers, especially where continued loading from snow or wind is observed. Deeper and more reactive deposits are expected in wind affected terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous storm slab avalanches were reported near Revelstoke on Thursday involving the new storm snow.

On Wednesday several large storm slab avalanches were reported both human and explosive triggered. Mostly running on the most recent crust.

With continued accumulation of storm snow we expect storm slabs to be reactive to natural and human triggers.

Snowpack Summary

Roughly 20 to 25 cm of new storm snow brings recent storm snow totals to 40 to 60 cm.

The accumulated new snow overlies a crust that formed as temperatures cooled following this week's significant warming event and extends to roughly 2300 m. Numerous storm slab avalanches have released down to this crust.

We continue to track two layers in the mid and lower snowpack. The reactivity of these layers, now buried more than 150 cm deep, is uncertain. Triggering these layers is more likely in high alpine terrain where no supportive crust is present.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night
Cloudy. 15 to 20 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 20 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 10 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Don't let storm day fever lure you into consequential terrain.

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