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

Feb 26th, 2025–Mar 1st, 2025

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes, Waterton.

We have seen a significant avalanche cycle in Waterton over the past week. New snow and rain have overburdened buried weak layers, producing large avalanches. Use cautious terrain management over the next few days, as avalanches will continue to be human-triggerable with warm temperatures and clear skies.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Widespread natural avalanche cycle occurred from Sun-Mon, with windslabs, wet loose, and persistent slab avalanches up to size 3.

A notable size 3 avalanche was on Bertha Mountain above the Waterton Townsite, depositing debris within 100 meters of the town.

Activity has decreased, but a warm, clear period in the next few days may increase activity once again.

Snowpack Summary

Approximately 30 cm of storm snow has fallen over the last week. This snow has formed windslabs in open areas, with winds reaching up to 70 km/h over the past few days. Rainfall occurred below 1800 m, saturating the snowpack, which is now starting to refreeze as a crust under the fresh snow.

The January drought layer is 30–80 cm down and includes facets and/or a crust. Overall, the snowpack is weak and facetted.

Snowpack depths at treeline range from 100 to 160 cm.

Weather Summary

Warm temps, strong winds and clearing skies continue into the weekend. See table for details.

Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for the most up to date information.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Keep in mind that human triggering may persist as natural avalanches taper off.
  • Wet avalanche activity may step down to deeply buried persistent weak layers at lower elevations.

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.

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.

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.