Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 29th, 2026–Mar 30th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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

Sunday night's storm will layer new surface instabilities over an otherwise stable snowpack. Tune into new snow amounts, wind loading, and daytime warming to stay on top of the hazard.

Confidence

Moderate

The snowpack structure is well understood.
We are uncertain about forecast snowfall amounts.

Avalanche Summary

It's been an increasingly quiet time in the Kootenay Boundary. No avalanches were reported on Friday or Saturday.

On Thursday, several natural and skier triggered wind slabs up to size 1.5 were reported on north/east aspects in the alpine. Natural wet loose avalanches up to size 2 were also reported on steep solar aspects.

If you are heading into the backcountry, post a MIN and let us know what you're seeing!

Snowpack Summary

A forecast 5-10 cm of new snow (closer to 15 cm in hotspots north of Gray Creek and possibly Kootenay Pass) should bury a thin melt-freeze crust now found on solar aspects, or otherwise add to 10 to 25 cm of recent snow, which was affected by moderate west or southwest winds a few days ago. This formed wind slabs on lee aspects at upper elevations and scoured some windward slopes to the crust below. More reactive new slabs should form with forecast weather.

The recent snow sits on a crust from early March that is 5 to 20 cm thick in most locations. It may become thinner at upper elevations.

The mid and lower snowpack is well settled and strong in most areas.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night
Diminishing cloud after flurries bring 5 to 10 cm of new snow. 20 to 40 km/h west ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline temperature falling to -10 °C.

Monday
Sunny. 20 km/h northwest ridgetop wind, easing. Treeline temperature -7 °C with freezing level to 1300 m.

Tuesday
Sunny with high cloud increasing in the afternoon. 10 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C with freezing level to 1700 m.

Wednesday
A mix of sun and increasing cloud with flurries bringing less than 5 cm of new snow. 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
Be alert to conditions that change with elevation and sun exposure.
Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.

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.