Avalanche forecast

Rossland

Feb 5 – 6, 2026Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Avalanche danger may increase with warm mountain top temperatures and sunny skies. Conditions may change quickly, so back off slopes and use extra caution by the afternoon.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Rising freezing levels may increase avalanche activity. There may be isolated pockets of reactive wind slab where a buried surface hoar layer exists.

  • Loose Wet

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

    High freezing levels and sunshine may cause surface snow to lose cohesion and produce wet avalanches in steep terrain features.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain due to how buried persistent weak layers will react with the forecast weather.

Avalanche Summary

With warm mountaintop temperatures, natural and human-triggered wet avalanches are possible on Thursday.

A few (size 1.5) explosive-controlled avalanches were reported on Tuesday.

On January 30-31, numerous natural, human-triggered, and explosive-triggered avalanches were reported throughout the region. All occurring on the mid-January buried surface hoar/facet/crust layer.

Snowpack Summary

A thin melt-freeze surface crust may exist to mountain top but will soften with warming during the day. Below this, 15 to 20 cm of moist snow sits over a surface hoar/ crust layer, which was buried in late January. The buried surface hoar is largest in sheltered treeline and below treeline terrain.

Strong southwest wind may have formed pockets of stiff wind slab on upper elevation northeast slopes.

The mid and lower snowpack is well settled.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night
Mostly clear skies. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Thursday
Mostly sunny. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 6 °C. Freezing level 3300 m.

Friday
Sunny. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 5 °C. Freezing level 3100 m.

Saturday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 mm of rain at treeline. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 2100 m.



More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.
  • Loose avalanches may start small, but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.
  • Approach steep and open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, as buried surface hoar may exist.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

Regions covered