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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 20th, 2026–Mar 21st, 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 unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kootenay Boundary, Purcells, Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, Ymir, Crawford, St. Mary, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla.

Uncertainty remains on how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.

Conditions will vary with elevation, from wet snow to surface crust.

Make observations as you travel.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain about how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.
  • We are uncertain due to variable freezing levels.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous and very large avalanches (up to size 3.5) were reported throughout the region, indicating a widespread natural cycle. These included cornice falls, wet slabs and loose wet avalanches from all aspects and elevations.

If you are heading into the backcountry, please consider sharing conditions via the MIN.

Snowpack Summary

High freezing levels and heavy rain have saturated the top 20 to 50 cm of surface snow up to the mountain tops.

As freezing levels drop, a widespread crust will start to form on all aspects and at higher elevations.

Below this, 30 to 50 cm of wet snow sits above a crust (1 to 10 cm thick), buried in early March.

The widespread avalanche cycle has likely flushed the persistent slabs in the top 120 cm of the snowpack, but may still linger in areas where avalanche paths have not yet released.

The mid/lower snowpack is well settled and strong in most areas.

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

Weather Summary

Friday Night
Partly cloudy. Up to 2 cm of snow at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Saturday
Mostly unny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

Sunday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Monday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
  • Keep in mind that the high density of wet avalanches can make them destructive.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.

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.

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.