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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 2nd, 2025–Dec 3rd, 2025

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

Regions

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

While winds have calmed, wind slabs remain in lee alpine and treeline pockets from Monday’s burst of westerly flow. Identify the loaded terrain and steer around it.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Sunshine reported triggering several size 1 hard wind slabs at treeline with explosives. Lake Louise also produced two size 2 avalanches in alpine lee features. They began as thinner wind slabs but then entrained mass by gouging down to ground as they ran.

Snowpack Summary

The previously soft surface snow has been erased with wind in alpine areas, creating windslabs. Some of this wind effect is down into the treeline, but mostly 20-40 cm of soft snow still remains at TL and below. Below ~2300 m, a rain crust exists below the storm snow. The mid- and lower-snowpack is well settled where thicker, and facetting where thin. Tree-line snow depths range from 60-100cm

Weather Summary

Slightly warmer than seasonal temperatures continue, with valley bottoms near –2°C and the ridge around –6°C. Cloud cover builds through Wednesday with light flurries. From Thursday into Friday, expect steady light snowfall, with total accumulations of 12–15 cm by Friday night. Winds increase through Wednesday, peaking near midnight with westerly gusts exceeding 60 km/h.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • 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.