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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 19th, 2026–Apr 20th, 2026

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

Regions

Northwest Inland, Seven Sisters, Howson, Kispiox, Microwave-Sinclair, Ningunsaw, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Avalanche danger will increase through the day with warming and sun.

Use extra caution in large alpine terrain, where a winter snowpack with deeply buried weak layers may persist.

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 how the timing or intensity of solar radiation will affect the snowpack.
  • We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

Several loose wet avalanches, up to size 2, were reported on Friday during periods of warming and sun exposure.

Large (up to size 3) persistent slab avalanches have been reported periodically over the past couple weeks. All observed events were naturally triggered, likely during periods of warming, solar radiation, and/or wind loading. The most recent report occurred within the past few days on an east aspect at approximately 1700 m (see photo below for details).

Snowpack Summary

A surface crust is likely to form overnight in terrain at treeline and above, except in high-alpine terrain, particularly on north aspects, where dry, wind-affected snow may persist. At lower elevations, limited overnight refreezing is likely to result in a moist or isothermal upper snowpack. With daytime warming and a chance of sun, the upper snowpack will weaken throughout the day.

A layer of weak, sugary snow over a thick crust is buried 100 to 200 cm and continues to produce large, surprising avalanches.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy. Chance of light rain at treeline, with trace snow amounts in the alpine. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Monday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Tuesday
Sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Wednesday
Sunny. 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Think carefully about your exit plan from the backcountry because avalanche danger is expected to increase throughout the day.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
  • The likelihood of deep persistent slab avalanches will increase with each day of warm weather.

Problems

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.

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.