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

Mar 18th, 2023–Mar 19th, 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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Lizard-Flathead, Akamina, Flathead, Lizard.

Avalanche danger will be driven by the solar input on Sunday. Minimize your exposure to steep slopes facing the sun during the hottest part of the day.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

On Friday, several wet loose avalanches, up to size 1, were observed on alpine features that received direct sun in the afternoon.

Several large (size 2) natural slab avalanches were reported near Fernie on Thursday. The group observed the avalanche's release when the sun hit open alpine slopes.

If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a report to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

20-40 cm of dense, wind-affected storm snow falling earlier in the week in the alpine tapers to a rain crust below 1400 m. This storm snow may sit on a sun crust on solar slopes and small surface hoar in sheltered, shaded areas. A sun crust is found on the surface of solar slopes at all elevations.

The mid-snowpack is generally well-settled. The lower snowpack includes a layer of weak sugary crystals near the ground. This layer has not produced recent avalanche activity.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Mainly clear skies. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Wind light west. Freezing levels drop to valley bottom.

Sunday

Mix of sun and cloud. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Wind light southwest. Freezing level rising to 2000m.

Monday

Mainly cloudy. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Wind strong east. Freezing level 1500m.

Tuesday

Mix of sun and cloud. Treeline temperature -6 °C. Wind light east. Freezing level 1400m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Avoid sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if snow is moist or wet
  • Caution around slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.