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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 20th, 2026–Mar 23rd, 2026

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

[10:00 am Update] Cooler temperatures have arrived sooner than expected and light snow is falling in the Waterton Townsite. The warm temps and rain have however decimated the snowpack. Adequate snow coverage below treeline only remains in the SW corner of the park. There is still snow in the alpine and at treeline.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

Several new piles of wet loose debris to size 2.5 observed on a road patrol up Akamina Parkway. Uncertain of the failure plane.

Snowpack Summary

A few new cm's of snow sits on a rain soaked snowpack at all elevation. Free running waterfalls could be seen in alpine features up the Akamina Parkway on Friday. The snow that remains is beginning to refreeze into crust as temperatures cool.

Weather Summary

Saturday

Rain has transitioned to snow 5-10cm today. Alpine high of -1°C. Wind 30-40km/h. Freezing level lowering to valley bottom.

Sunday

Clearing skies with an alpine high of 0 °C and low of -3°C. Wind SW at 30-40km/h and a freezing level falling to valley bottom.

Monday

Clear skies and an alpine high of -3 °C. Winds SW 20km/h.

Current weather forecast: Mountain Weather Forecast

Weather tables available here

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Wet avalanche activity may step down to deeply buried persistent weak layers at lower elevations.

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.

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.