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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 16th, 2026–Jan 17th, 2026

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

Regions

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

Sunny skies with inversion conditions Saturday: watch heating inputs closely.

Recent warming has created a skiable crust on most slopes and west winds have created widespread wind effect above treeline.

The Jan 3 surface hoar layer is a concern in some locations; forecasters are keeping ratings BTL and at TL elevated.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to how buried persistent weak layers will react with the forecast incoming weather.

Avalanche Summary

A field trip to Little Yoho today found further evidence of this week's natural cylce to sz 2.5 +. Deep slabs on E-facing alpine terrain that likely triggered by cornice failures or wind-induced sluffs out of extreme terrain.

A flight on Thursday to the Wapta also found widespread evidence of wind slabs & cornice failures to size 2 - only a few deep releases were observed.

An sz 2 slab on the basal facets triggered by a cornice fall was reported on Jimmy Junior peak Thursday.

Snowpack Summary

A thin, skiable, temperature crust now caps the snowpack in most locations that was created by above-freezing layers early in the week. This will vary with each valley...

Widespread wind effect is found in the alpine and down into treeline elevations.

In several locations through the region, the January 3rd surface hoar layer is reactive down 30-100 cm.

The November facet/crust interfaces sit 20 - 40 cm up from the ground.

Treeline snowpack depths range from 100 to 200cm +.

Weather Summary

The region is under the influence of an upper ridge maintaining warm and dry conditions through the middle of next week.

An above-freezing layer between 2500-3000m will lead to inversion conditions Saturday. Treeline temperatures will also approach 0C. Ridgetop winds will be light to moderate from the NW through the day.

Cooling with a decrease in windspeed looks to be on track for Sunday.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Approach steep and open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, as buried surface hoar may exist.
  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.