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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 17th, 2025–Mar 18th, 2025

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

Regions

North Rockies, Sugarbowl, East Kakwa, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Renshaw, Tumbler.

Use caution as you transfer into wind-affected terrain.

Human-triggered avalanches are possible.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

A few small to large (size 1 to 2) wind slab avalanches out of steep alpine terrain were reported since Tuesday.

Expect the chances of an avalanche to increase on sun-exposed slopes.

Snowpack Summary

30 to 60 cm overlies a hard melt-freeze crust and isolated surface hoar crystals in wind-sheltered treeline terrain.

Variable winds have created windslabs on all aspects near or just below ridge crests in the alpine and treeline elevations.

A weak layer of surface hoar and/or faceted grains buried mid-February is around 50 to 100 cm deep, but is showing signs of strengthening.

The lower snowpack is well-settled.

Weather Summary

Monday night

Cloudy. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.

Tuesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Wednesday

Mostly sunny. 20 to 40 southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Thursday

Cloudy. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind-exposed terrain.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.

Problems

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.