Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 17th, 2023–Apr 18th, 2023

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.
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

Crowsnest North, Crowsnest South.

Watch for unstable snow on isolated features: windslabs in the high alpine, and loose wet avalanches on steep slopes that face the sun.

Expect variable snowpack conditions as we transition from winter to spring.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported before 4 pm on Monday.

We expect backcountry users will see evidence of numerous, small, wet loose avalanches triggered by the sun on steep solar slopes. Also, there may find small pockets of fresh windslab on exposed alpine ridges that could avalanche under the weight of a human.

If you have any observations from this region, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a report to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

In the alpine and around treeline, 5-10 cm of new snow covers a frozen crust, with moist snow below.

The mid snowpack is generally settled and strong at treeline and above.

A melt-freeze crust that was buried in mid January can be found 60 to 100 cm below the snow surface.

A weak layer of large, sugary crystals persists at the base of the snowpack. This layer has not produced recent avalanche activity in this area, but professionals continue to monitor for signs of it becoming active.

Weather Summary

Monday Night

Mainly clear. No new snow is expected. Light southerly ridgetop wind. Freezing levels drop to valley bottom overnight. Treeline low -5°C.

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries in the afternoon, 3-6 cm accumulation. Light southeast ridgetop winds increase to moderate and switch to west in the afternoon. Freezing levels rise to 1700 m. Treeline high around -2 °C.

Wednesday

Mainly cloudy. Moderate to light northwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to valley bottom at night and rising to 1600 m mid-day. Treeline high around -3 °C.

Thursday

Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries, 6 cm accumulations. Light northwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to valley bottom at night and rising to 1500 m mid-day. Treeline high around -5 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be carefull around freshly wind loaded features.
  • Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
  • Watch for unstable snow on specific terrain features, especially when the snow is moist or wet.

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.