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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 11th, 2025–Mar 12th, 2025

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

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

Now is the time to avoid being on or below avalanche terrain. Remote triggering slopes from below or nearby is likely. Very conservative decision making is required in the back-country.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

The road patrol on Highway 93 North showed evidence of a widespread natural cycle up to size 3.5 on all aspects and elevations. Large propagations (some were 600 m wide) with fractures stepping down to the mid and lower pack were observed. Touchy conditions continue with remote triggering on the persistent layers likely.

Ski hills report numerous natural and explosive triggered avalanches to size 2.5.

Snowpack Summary

The recent storm dropped 25 cm (in Kootenay & Sunshine), 50 cm (Lake Louise), and 75+cm (Bow Summit). Strong southerly wind redistributed this snow creating slabs over suncrusts on steep south aspects or firm wind affected snow elsewhere. A persistent weak facet layer (Feb22/Jan 30 layer) is buried 40-100cm down.

In shallower eastern regions, the mid and lower snowpack is very weak with facets, while deeper western regions are more consolidated.

Weather Summary

Scattered flurries and light to moderate SW winds along the divide Tuesday night and Wednesday. On Wednesday night, another system arrives lasting into Thursday bringing another 10-30 cm with light to moderate SW wind.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
  • Remote triggering is a big concern, be aware of the potential for wide propagations and large, destructive avalanches at all elevations.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.

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.