Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 9th, 2026–Apr 10th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

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, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

The sun is packing a lot more punch now. It's a good time of year to start and finish early before things get too warm.

Confidence

Moderate

We are uncertain about how the timing or intensity of solar radiation will affect the snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been observed in the last couple days.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 10cm of new snow has been redistributed by previous SW winds, and overlies a sun crust on solar aspects. A thicker melt-freeze crust is found down 20–40 cm at tree line and below. The Jan 24 persistent weak layer is 80–120 cm deep, and mainly a lingering concern in the alpine.

Weather Summary

A mix of sun and cloud.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: High 1 °C.

Ridge wind light to 15 km/h.

Freezing level: 2400 metres.

Saturday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated wet flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: Low -1 °C, High 2 °C.

Ridge wind light to 15 km/h.

Freezing level: 2300 metres.

Sunday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: Low -1 °C, High 1 °C.

Ridge wind light to 20 km/h.

Freezing level: 2300 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

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.