Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 4th, 2025–Mar 5th, 2025

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

Regions

Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Uncertainty exists over ongoing reactivity of buried weak layers.

Minimize your exposure to avalanche terrain and overhead hazard.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Over the weekend, small slabs were triggered within the storm snow. On Monday, explosive control work in the Bulkley produced widely propagating slab avalanches to size 3, some of which involved the variety of buried weak layers.

Looking forward, human triggering of wind affected snow and persistent weak layers remains possible.

Snowpack Summary

Recent storm snow has been wind affected in exposed terrain. South-facing slopes and low elevations hold a surface crust.

Facets, surface hoar (in sheltered terrain), and a crust on solar aspects that all formed during the February drought, are buried around 30 to 50 cm deep.

Deeper in the snowpack, a weak layer of facets and a crust from early December can be found. This layer appears to be dormant but remains an isolated concern in this region.

Check out this MIN from Hankin, with a great summary of snowpack conditions on the weekend.

Weather Summary

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h southeast ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1000 m.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures -1 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Thursday

A mix of sun and cloud. 30 to 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures -2 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Friday

5 cm of snow overnight.

Cloudy with up to 10 cm of snow/rain. 60 to 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperatures +1 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Keep in mind that human triggering may persist as natural avalanches taper off.
  • Avoid steep, sun-exposed slopes when the air temperature is warm or when solar radiation is strong.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.
  • Be alert to conditions that change with elevation, aspect, and exposure to wind.

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.

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.