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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 3rd, 2026–Jan 4th, 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 unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Little Yoho, Kootenay.

Forecasts for snow amounts on Sunday vary, but moderate SW ridgetop winds continue. If more snow falls than expected, the alpine hazard may increase to considerable, and we may start to see sluffing in steep terrain.

There is good skiing in sheltered areas, and the new snow will only improve this!

Confidence

Moderate

  • Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain.

Avalanche Summary

Limited obs on Saturday, but no new natural avalanches reported or observed.

Lake Louise and Sunshine ski hills did some explosive control on Friday. They mainly got no result or size 1 wind slabs. Sunshine did get a remote size 2.5 deep persistent slab near the ground, which started 70 m below where the explosion occurred. No other avalanches were reported in this region.

Snowpack Summary

A few cms of new snow with moderate SW alpine winds now sits over previous surfaces, which include older windslabs, surface hoar to treeline, and some suncrust on steep solar aspects.

There is 40-80 cm over the Dec 15 melt-freeze crust, which is present to 1800-2000 m, and 80-160 cm over the November facet/crust interfaces. In thinner snowpack areas, facets are present at the base.

Treeline snow depths range from 100-200+ cm.

Weather Summary

Saturday night: Moderate SW ridgetop winds with 1 to 5 cm of snow depending on the forecast. Treeline temps remain near -4°C

Sunday: Light to moderate SW ridgetop winds, with between 5 and 10 cm of new snow depending on the forecast, and treeline temps steady near -4°C.

Link to the weather forecast

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.