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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 23rd, 2025–Mar 24th, 2025

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

Regions

Kootenay Boundary, Bonnington, Grohman, Kootenay Pass, Norns, Rossland, Ymir, Crawford, Moyie, St. Mary, Kokanee, Retallack, Valhalla, Whatshan.

A warm, wet storm is creating dangerous avalanche conditions. Avoid avalanche terrain.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Storm slabs have produced many size 1 to 2 avalanches in recent days, including numerous human-triggered slabs in the top 30 cm and larger natural avalanches in alpine terrain.

Large natural and artificially triggered persistent slab avalanches to size 3 were reported most recently on Saturday.

Expect continued storm slab activity on Monday. Persistent slab avalanches will become increasingly likely as temperatures warm this week.

Snowpack Summary

Continued snowfall over the day Monday will bring storm totals into the range of 50 to 70 cm.

Several weak layers in the snowpack are currently concerns for triggering persistent slab avalanches:

  • Facets/surface hoar/crust from early March buried 50 to 80 cm deep,

  • Facets/surface hoar/crust from mid-February buried 70 to 100 cm deep, and

  • Facets/surface hoar/crust from late January buried 100 to 150+ cm deep.

This complex snowpack combined with dynamic weather makes travel in avalanche terrain dangerous.

Weather Summary

Sunday night

15 to 30 cm of snow, turning to rain below 1600 m. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level rising to 2000 m.

Monday

10 to 20 cm of snow, rain below 1500 m. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature +2 °C. Freezing level 2000 m, rising to 2400 m.

Tuesday

5 to 10 mm of rain overnight then clearing skies in the afternoon. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +6 °C. Freezing level 2700 m.

Wednesday

Sunny. 20 to 30 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature +10 °C. Freezing level 3200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
  • Only the most simple non-avalanche terrain with no overhead hazard is appropriate at this time.

Problems

Storm Slabs

Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.