Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 21st, 2026–Mar 24th, 2026

Alpine

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

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 possible, human triggered probable.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

Touchy windslabs have been building in upper elevations up to 60cm thick. Cooler temperatures are coming after the warm up this past week.

RUGGED travel below treeline. Give the snowpack time to settle out.

Confidence

Low

We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

The recent widespread historical avalanche cycle is beginning to slow down but it hasn't ended just yet. Recent windslabs on Saturday were still failing in alpine areas as the winds increased throughout the day.

The majority of recent avalanche activity looks to be initiated by Wind/Storm slabs in the alpine then pulling out a wet slab around 2400m that ran on possibly the Jan 27th SH/FC interface.

Snowpack Summary

Temperatures went below freezing on Saturday and as a result there was a 5cm thick supportive crust in the valley floors. Under this crust, the snowpack is generally wet and isothermal to ground up to around 2400m. The cooler temperatures will take a few days to penetrate the snowpack here.

Above 2400m the recent precipitation mainly fell as snow and there is up to 50cm of snow that as of Saturday being redistributed by moderate westerly winds forming new windslabs in the upper elevations. 5cm of new also fell throughout the day on Saturday.

Field observations at treeline and into the Alpine are still very limited and there is lots of uncertainty in this area at this time.

Weather Summary

Temperatures at treeline are forecast to continue cooling overnight as clear weather begins to return to the region. Sunday will be cool again with daytime highs around -10C and moderate westerly winds. Snow is forecast beginning towards the start of next week.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Keep your guard up at all elevations. Wind slab formation has been extensive.
A hard crust on the snow surface will help strengthen the snowpack, but may cause tough travel conditions.
Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.

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.

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.