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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 24th, 2025–Feb 27th, 2025

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes, Waterton.

We have seen a significant avalanche cycle in Waterton over the last couple days, new snow has overburdened buried weak layers and produced large avalanches. Use cautious terrain management over the next few days as avalanches will continue to be human triggerable.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Widespread natural cycle over the last few days with windslab, wet loose and persistent slab avalanches to size 3

The notable size 3 avalanche was on Bertha Mountain above the Waterton Townsite and deposited debris within 100m of town.

Snowpack Summary

~30 cm of storm snow has fallen over the last few days, this snow arrived with winds up to 70km/h. This has formed windslabs in the alpine/treeline. It rained below 1800 m and saturated the snowpack.

The January drought layer is 30 - 60 cm down. This layer includes facetted snow on northerly aspects or a melt freeze crust below treeline and on steep solar slopes into the alpine. Generally, the snowpack is weak and facetted.

Snowpack depths at treeline range from 100 - 160 cm.

Weather Summary

Warm temps and strong winds continue for the next few days. See table for details.

Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for the most up to date information.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.

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.

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.

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.