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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 12th, 2026–Jan 13th, 2026

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

Regions

Chic-Choc Mountains, Chic-Chocs.

More snow than expected and signs of instability observed on Monday. On Tuesday, we can expect to find recent wind slabs that are still reactive.

Confidence

Moderate

  • Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported or observed. Many signs of instability (cracking) observed by the field team.

If you head into the backcountry, thanks for sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network (MIN).

Snowpack Summary

On average, 20 to 25 cm of light snow fell on the area during the last storm. Areas closer to the St-Lawrence in the north, such as the Madeleine mines, received more snow than those further south.

In sheltered terrain, this new snow lies on a gradually denser layer down to the refrozen crust of 20 December. In places, a weaker layer of faceted grains lies just above this crust.

Strong winds, shifting from south to east to northwest, have created great variability in the alpine zone and near the tree line, where there are bare areas as well as hard wind slabs, compacted snow and softer recent slabs.

The average snow depth at mid-mountain is approximately 110 cm.

Weather Summary

WEATHER FOR THE CHIC-CHOCS RIDGES AND PEAKS

Cloudy on Tuesday before a low-pressure system moves in on Wednesday, bringing mild temperatures and snow to our forecast area.

Monday evening and overnight: Cloudy, light snow. West wind, 30 to 50 km/h. Low -15.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. South-westerly wind, 30 to 50 km/h. High -7.

Wednesday: Intermittent snow, 3 to 5 cm. Southwesterly wind, 20 to 40 km/h. High -3. Freezing level at 450 m.

Thursday: Intermittent snow, 5 to 10 cm. Light southeasterly wind. High -2. Freezing level at 500 m.

For more details, see the Chic-Chocs alpine weather forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Approach lee and cross-loaded slopes with caution.
  • Expect slab conditions to change drastically as you move into wind-exposed terrain.
  • Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been affected by wind.

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.