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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 19th, 2026–Mar 20th, 2026

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

Regions

Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South.

Avoid avalanche terrain and exposure to overhead avalanche terrain.

Heavy rain and high freezing levels will continue to create very dangerous conditions.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.
  • We are uncertain about forecast rain amounts.

Avalanche Summary

On Thursday, in the neighboring Fernie region, numerous very large debris (up to size 3) were reported, indicating a widespread natural avalanche cycle.

On Wednesday, multiple wet loose avalanches were observed near Window Mountain in steep treeline and alpine features on all aspects.

Looking ahead, natural avalanches are expected at all elevations during the ongoing warm storm, particularly in areas where avalanche paths have not yet released.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels and heavy rain are continuing to soak the upper snowpack up to the mountain tops.

A crust layer can be found down 30 to 50 cm on lee features and on the surface in windward terrain.

Below this, the mid and lower snowpack are generally well consolidated with early-season crusts deep in the snowpack.

The snowpack rapidly diminishes at lower elevations and is moist to the ground in shallower areas.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy. 10 mm of rain at treeline. 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2600 m.
Friday
Cloudy. 15 to 20 mm of rain at treeline. 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 3 °C. Freezing level 2600 m.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 2 to 5 mm of rain or snow at treeline. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Sunday
Mostly sunny. 50 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid areas with overhead hazard.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
  • Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
  • Keep in mind that the high density of wet avalanches can make them destructive.

Problems

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.