Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 17th, 2026–Mar 20th, 2026

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 and human triggered avalanches likely.

Alpine

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Treeline

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Below Treeline

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Regions

Kananaskis, Bow Valley, Highwood Pass, North 40, Spray - KLakes.

A good time to avoid avalanche terrain. High freezing levels and precipitation, both rain and snow will overload the snowpack and we expect a large natural cycle with avalanches capable of running full path, well in to valley bottom.

Confidence

Moderate

We have higher uncertainty about treeline conditions due to persistent slabs.

Avalanche Summary

No field team along the spray today, Weather stations temperatures above zero along the highway elevation ~1800m. Suspect loose wet on steep below treeline features and new wind slab activity in the alpine.

Snowpack Summary

No field teams today, suspect the top 5-15cm of the snowpack below 2200m is wet from the ongoing warm temps and precip falling as rain. No overnight freeze expected, so the snowpack will continue to saturate and the wet snow get deeper into the snowpack. On the surface above the freezing level, new snow is falling with strong to extreme winds building new reactive wind slabs.

Weather Summary

As this storm slams into the rockies, The freezing levels remain moderately high, 2200m and the precip is falling as rain at that elevation and below.

Winds: A westerly flow continues, extreme winds at ridge top.

Temps: freezing levels rising to 2300m on Wednesday and day time high of -1 in the alpine.

Snow amounts:

Tuesday evening: 6cm

Wednesday: 9cm

Thursday: 36cm

Friday: 9cm

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid runout zones of large avalanche paths. Avalanches are expected to run to valley bottom.
Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.

Problems

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.

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.

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.