Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 21st, 2026–Apr 22nd, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

North Columbia, North Rockies, McBride, Premier, Quesnel, Sugarbowl, Clemina, East Kakwa, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Renshaw, Robson, Tumbler.

A cooling trend is decreasing avalanche danger. Use caution in the high alpine where isolated problems remain.

Confidence

Moderate

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

Avalanche Summary

Daytime warming from the past few days produced many small wet loose avalanches.

Looking forward, the likelihood of triggering avalanches will decrease with incoming cooler weather. Use caution in high-elevation northerly terrain where lingering wind slabs may remain and where cornices are large and unpredictable.

Snowpack Summary

1 to 5 cm of snow is forecast for Wednesday, which will fall onto wet snow that may freeze into a hard melt-freeze crust. Small, isolated wind slabs may linger on north aspects near mountain tops, particularly where they sit on a hard crust.

The remainder of the snowpack is strong with various thick melt-freeze crusts.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy with intermittent flurries. 1 to 2 mm of rain at treeline. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 2400 m dropping to 1600 m by morning.

Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds with intermittent flurries. 1 to 5 cm of snow at treeline and above. 30 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Thursday
Mix of sun and clouds with intermittent flurries. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h north ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C. Freezing level 500 m rising to 1500 m by mid-afternoon.

Friday
Mostly sunny. 30 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level valley bottom rising to 1500 m by mid-afternoon.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.
Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.

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.