Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 27th, 2026–Mar 28th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

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, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Northwest Inland, Howson, Kispiox, Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

A buried persistent weak layer is capable of producing large distructive avalanches.

Conditions Update Here

Confidence

Moderate

We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.
We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.

Avalanche Summary

Over the last week, both natural wind and persistent slab avalanches were reported, some cornice-triggered.

Observations in this region are limited, and there's uncertainty about buried weak layers in the upper/mid snowpack. In the neighbouring region, a fatal avalanche accident occurred north of Terrace on March 22. Available details can be found here.

Submit to the MIN and keep your terrain choices conservative.

Snowpack Summary

Outflow winds transitioning southerly have left wind slabs and wind-affected surfaces on a variety of aspects. Up to 30 cm of facetting and settled snow is found in sheltered areas. This covers a variety of older snow, including small surface hoar, facets, crusts, and wind-scoured snow.

A few persistent weak layers of crust/facets or surface hoar are buried between 100 to 200 cm deep. We have limited information on the distribution and reactivity of these layers.

Cornices are large, some have recently failed naturally.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Partly cloudy. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy. 1 to 4 cm of snow. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Sunday

Mostly sunny. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Monday

Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Stay off recently wind loaded slopes until they have had a chance to stabilize.
Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.

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.

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.