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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 6th, 2026–Jan 7th, 2026

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

Regions

South Rockies, Bull, Crowsnest North, Elkford East, Elkford West.

A surface hoar layer is buried at an ideal depth for human triggering.

Triggering is most likely where strong winds have formed a wind slabs over this weak layer.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported.

We expect strong wind to redistribute soft snow into lee features developing wind slabs that may be possible to human trigger.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 40 cm of wind affected snow covers a variety of older snow surfaces, including surface hoar in terrain sheltered from wind. Expect to find wind-affected snow in exposed terrain at higher elevations.

Approximately 40 to 80 cm of recent snow continues to settle above a melt-freeze crust that is thin or absent in alpine terrain, while thicker and widespread at treeline and below.

Near the bottom of the snowpack, a series of crusts exists with associated faceted snow.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy. 4 to 5 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Wednesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 cm of snow. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy. 4 to 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -9 °C.

Friday
Mix of sun and clouds. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.