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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 7th, 2025–Dec 8th, 2025

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

Regions

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

While the riding conditions remain good, the avalanche danger is deteriorating from incremental loading and facetting. Fresh windslabs exist in alpine areas, and the forecast indicates 20-40 cm of snow by Tuesday morning, which will trigger an avalanche cycle across the region. Heads up this week, things are changing.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Some small avalanches were noted today at the Lake Louise ski area, up to size 1.5 with ski cuts and explosives. These were soft windslabs formed on Saturday night, failing 20-30 cm deep. No new avalanches observed by our field team in the Dolomite Peak area today.

Snowpack Summary

15-25 cm of storm snow has been blown into drifts and windslabs in exposed areas. These slabs sit on a few buried crusts in the upper 40 cm, and a Nov 13 rain crust in the middle of the snowpack. The facetting process has started to break these crusts down, and we are seeing a slowly developing problem. At treeline and below, the snow remains generally soft, despite the wind, with a relatively supportive mid-pack, but the entire snowpack has been facetting and weakening.

Weather Summary

Snowy days are ahead as the storm track is positioned directly over our region. Monday will see flurries all day; up to 15 cm on the Wapta and 5 cm elsewhere. Overnight Monday is the main pulse. Expect Tuesday morning storm totals up to 40 cm on the Wapta, and 20-25 cm in the rest of the park. Temps will be steady from -5 to -10, and winds will be strong from the SW.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.

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.