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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 31st, 2026–Apr 1st, 2026

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Northwest Inland, Boundary, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart, Howson, Ningunsaw.

We have some uncertainty in the likelihood and distribution of persistent slabs. In times of uncertainty, conservative terrain choices are the best defense.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.

Avalanche Summary

Several recent natural cornice falls have been large enough that even without triggering a slab they were size 2.5 or greater.

A handful of very large persistent slab avalanches have been reported throughout the region in recent days. Some are suspected to have run on the mid-March layer, and others even deeper. Most of these avalanches were triggered by cornices.

Snowpack Summary

Previous strong wind has created hard, pressed surfaces, wind slab, and scouring in exposed terrain. A sun crust could be on or near the surface. Cornices are large and overhanging.

A layer of facets and/or surface hoar from earlier in March can be found 50 to 100 cm deep.

Several older persistent weak layers are buried up to 250 cm deep. While triggering these layers is trending toward unlikely, they present a low-probability, high-consequence problem.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy. 3 cm of snow. 30 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Wednesday
Mostly sunny. 3 cm of snow. 30 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

Thursday
Mix of sun and clouds. 20 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy. 10 to 15 cm of snow. 50 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
  • In times of uncertainty, conservative terrain choices are our best defense.
  • 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.