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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 12th, 2026–Jan 15th, 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 unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Waterton Lakes, Waterton.

Significant warming will occur Tuesday and Wednesday due to high freezing levels and rain or sunshine. Be aware that wet loose avalanches may occur in steep terrain or where surface snow moist down to a crust.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.

Snowpack Summary

Last week's 60 cm of snowfall has since been transported by strong winds and will become moist on sunny slopes and at lower elevations due to rain on Tuesday and from the sun on Wed-Thurs.

The mid pack consists of settled snow, with the late December crust down 65-90 cm deep.

The lower snowpack is refrozen rain effected layers, which are still moist at ground in places.

Weather Summary

Tues

Mix of sun and cloud with isolated rain. Alpine temp: High 4 °C. Light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 50 km/h. Freezing level: 3300 m.

Wed

Sunny. Alpine temp: Low 2 °C, High 5 °C. Ridge wind west: 15 km/h gusting to 60 km/h. Freezing level: 3700 m.

Thurs

Sunny. Alpine temp: Low -6 °C, High 2 °C. Mostly light ridge wind gusting to 35 km/h. Freezing level: 2300 m.

Current weather forecast: Mountain Weather Forecast

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • The more the snowpack warms up and weakens, the more conservative your terrain selection should be.

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.