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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 8th, 2026–Jan 9th, 2026

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

There is uncertainty about how widespread a buried surface hoar layer is at treeline and below. Look locally for its presence.

Good ski quality can be found in sheltered locations, with plenty of wind slab up high!

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to the fact that deep persistent slabs are particularly difficult to forecast.

Avalanche Summary

Both Lake Louise and Sunshine ski hills got small size 1 wind slabs with explosives on Thursday. In the past few days, there have been some small wind slabs reported from the ski hills, mainly within the new snow. Sunshine had a few on the Jan 3 surface hoar, and there was 1 report from a few days ago of a small avalanche on Mt. Field that was also on that layer.

Snowpack Summary

Overall, the snowpack is stronger than normal. 30-40 cm of recent storm snow with SW winds has formed windslabs. In sheltered areas below treeline, this new snow sits on a layer of surface hoar buried on Jan 3, but this layer is not widespread, and not much slab has formed above it yet.

There is 40-80 cm over the Dec 15 melt-freeze crust, present to 1800-2000 m, and 80-160 cm over the November facet/crust interfaces. In thinner snowpack areas, facets are present at the base

Weather Summary

Thursday night/Friday: Trace of snow and alpine winds 40kmh with treeline temperature highs of -6C.

Saturday: Freezing levels rising to 2000m, winds 50kmh and no snow.

Click here to see Environment Canada weather tables

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Approach steep and open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, as buried surface hoar may exist.
  • 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.

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.

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.