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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 5th, 2026–Feb 6th, 2026

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

Regions

Banff Yoho Kootenay, Little Yoho, Banff, East Side 93N, Kootenay, Lake Louise, LLSA, Sunshine, West Side 93N, Field.

Temperatures will remain warm on Friday, including at higher elevations. The stated danger ratings reflect the highest we expect to see during the day. Watch locally for how much overnight refreezing occurs and monitor warming.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain due to variable freezing levels.

Avalanche Summary

Lake Louise ski hill reported a few wet sluffs out-of-bounds. Road patrols to Kootenay and Field saw natural activity to size 2.5 during the day. Most were point releases out of rocky areas, running far on the surface hoar..

Snowpack Summary

The 2000m temperatures reached 10 °C on Thursday! Dry and moist snow, depending on elevation and aspect (10-30cm), overlies the Jan 24th surface hoar, crust and/or previously wind-affected snow.

Widespread previous wind effect in alpine and contiguous exposed areas at treeline.

Weather Summary

Friday: Winds 20 becoming 40kmh from the West. An above-freezing layer is expected between 2400 and 3300m. No snow with a mix of sun and cloud.

Saturday: Lowering overall temperatures but still mild. Moderate to strong SW winds and light snow developing in the evening. (5-10cm).

Sunday: Trace snow, and cooler temperatures (-4C at treeline). Winds light from the West.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Use extra caution for areas that are experiencing rapidly warming temperatures for the first time.
  • Approach steep and open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, as buried surface hoar may exist.
  • Wind slabs are isolated, but may remain reactive.

Problems

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.

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.

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.