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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 26th, 2025–Mar 27th, 2025

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary, Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, Ymir, Crawford, Moyie, St. Mary, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

Continued high freezing levels and precipitation are keeping the hazard elevated. An increased load on our weak snowpack makes natural avalanches likely. Avoid all avalanche terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Widespread large natural avalanche activity continued Tuesday, including wet loose to size 2 and storm & persistent slabs to size 4.

Large, destructive, persistent slab avalanche activity is expected to continue with incoming precipitation before the freezing levels begin to lower Thursday afternoon.

Snowpack Summary

Mixed precipitation of rain switching to snow will further saturate the upper snowpack, adding to a moist to wet upper snowpack that sits over a crust. Below lies a complex snowpack with several weak layers, which are currently a concern for triggering persistent slab avalanches:

  • Facets/surface hoar/crust from early March buried 40 to 60 cm deep,

  • Facets/surface hoar/crust from mid-February buried 110 to 130 cm deep, and

  • Facets/surface hoar/crust from late January buried 120 to 160 cm deep.

This complex snowpack, combined with high freezing levels and precipitation, makes travel in avalanche terrain dangerous.

Weather Summary

Wednesday night

Cloudy. Rain showers. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 2200 m.

Thursday

Cloudy, rain continues below 2000 m, 10 to 20 cm of snow. 20 to 30 km/h variable ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level falling to 2000 m.

Friday

Cloudy, flurries, 5 to 10 cm. 20 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level falling to 1500 m.

Saturday

Cloudy, 5 to 10 cm of snow. 15 to 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
  • Very large and destructive avalanches could reach valley bottom.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain with no overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.
  • Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeply buried weak layers and result in very large avalanches.

Problems

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.

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.

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.