Avalanche forecast

Northwest Coastal

Feb 11 – 12, 2026Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

6:30 Update: More snow fell overnight than forecast.

Storm snow continues to accumulate over a crust. Limit exposure to avalanche terrain during periods of heavy snow or wind loading.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    A hard crust with a chance of surface hoar or facets overtop is buried 40 to 100 cm deep and is most common in alpine terrain. Storm slabs could step down to this layer, creating larger-than-expected avalanches.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2

    New snow continues to accumulate at higher elevations, burying various old hard surfaces. Expect storm slabs to be most reactive on wind-loaded slopes.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.
  • We are uncertain about forecast precipitation amounts.

Avalanche Summary

A few small wind or storm slab avalanches (up to size 2) have been reported since the weekend, along with several loose dry avalanches (up to size 1) in very steep terrain.

Recent observations have been limited due to cloudy or foggy conditions, especially at higher elevations.

Snowpack Summary

At treeline and above, between 10 and 40 cm of recent storm snow has buried either a crust of varying thickness or firm, settled snow. Below treeline, a thin crust is possible with largely moist or isothermal snow beneath.

A crust, with possible surface hoar or faceted snow above or below it, was buried on January 26 and is now roughly 60 to 120 cm deep. This layer is most likely to persist at higher elevations, while at lower elevations, it was likely rain-soaked and destroyed last week.

Snow depths at treeline across the region range from 250 to 450 cm.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night
Cloudy. Trace amounts of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 700 m.

Wednesday
Cloudy. 5 to 15 cm of snow, with the higher values expected in the western areas of the region. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 700 m.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 5 to 20 cm of snow, with the higher values expected in the western areas of the region. 70 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 900 m.

Friday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for fresh storm slabs building throughout the day.
  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Keep in mind a buried crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
  • Be aware of the potential for larger than expected storm slabs due to buried surface hoar.

Regions covered