Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 7th, 2026–Apr 8th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

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, human triggered possible.

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

10-12 cm of new snow fell overnight on Monday. Moderate transport winds have created isolated pockets of wind slab in exposed alpine terrain.

Cold temperatures are expected to persist through the week, with a warming trend forecast for the weekend.

Confidence

High

We are confident due to a stable weather pattern.

Avalanche Summary

Road patrol on the Icefields Parkway today. No new avalanches to report.

Snowpack Summary

Fresh snow from the last 24 hours, Maligne 10 cm, Icefields 12 cm. Solar aspects have sun crusts and moist snow, while dry snow persists on polar aspects. A Mar 20 MFcr (5–10 cm) sits 20–40 cm down, below treeline, and tapers out above 2100 m. The Jan 24 SH/FC layer lies 80–120 cm deep, mainly in the alpine. The Icefields' snowpack is well bonded; Bald Hills is somewhat weaker. Avg depths: Icefields 170–275 cm; Maligne 80–125 cm.

Weather Summary

Tonight: Clear periods. Low -10 °C. Mostly light winds, gusts to 35 km/h.

Wednesday: Cloudy with sunny periods. High -6 °C. Light west wind. Freezing level: 1600 m

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud. Low -10 °C, High -4 °C. Light west wind. Freezing level: 1900 m

Friday: A mix of sun and cloud. Low -7 °C, High 0 °C. Light SW wind. Freezing level: 2300 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.

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.