Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 20th, 2026–Apr 21st, 2026

Alpine

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Treeline

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Below Treeline

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Below Treeline

Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Glacier.

A warm air mass sits atop Rogers Pass until Wednesday, preventing the snowpack from refreezing at night.

Without a surface crust to hold the snowpack together, natural avalanche activity is expected at all elevation bands.

Avoid any exposure to overhead hazard and stick to conservative terrain.

Confidence

Moderate

We are uncertain about how the timing or intensity of warming will affect the snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

Natural wet loose and wet slab avalanches up to size 2 observed in the highway corridor on Monday.

Field team in Connaught creek observed a natural size 2 wet loose avalanche on Sunday AM.

Two reports of skier triggered size 2 slab avalanches on Friday. One from from Quartz creek, and a second on the Thorington.

Snowpack Summary

We are currently experiencing all melt no freeze spring conditions.

Up to 40cms of recent storm snow has become moist/wet on the surface of the snowpack. Below this recent snow, a crust can be found in most locations.

The mid - lower snowpack is well settled but we expect to see some large avalanches as the warm temperatures permeate the snowpack.

Weather Summary

Warmth until Wed midday. No overnight refreeze until then.

Tonight Clear. Alpine Low 6°C. Freezing level (FZL) 2900m. Ridgetop wind SW 15-40km/h.

Tues Sun/cloud, isolated showers. Alp High 9°C. Wind W 15-35km/h. FZL 3000m.

Wed Cloudy, scattered flurries, risk of T-storm, 5cm. High 3 °C. Wind N 15-55km/h. FZL 2900m

Thurs Cloud, sunny periods, isolated flurries. Alp High -5°C. Wind NE 20-50km/h. FZL 1700m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
Avoid travelling on slopes below cornices.
Keep in mind that the high density of wet avalanches can make them destructive.

Problems

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.