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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 26th, 2026–Mar 27th, 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 unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Seven Sisters, Shames, Stewart.

Uncertainty surrounding buried weak layers necessitates conservative terrain choices.

Very large human-triggered avalanches are possible.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.
  • We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.

Avalanche Summary

A fatal avalanche accident occurred north of Terrace on March 22. Available details can be found here.

Over the last week, a few natural and several skier-triggered wind slabs up to size 2 have occurred. A natural cornice failure pulled a size 3 persistent slab on a NW aspect in the alpine.

Observations in this region are limited, and there's uncertainty about buried weak layers in the upper/mid snowpack. Submit to the MIN and keep your terrain choices conservative.

Snowpack Summary

Cornices are large and looming. Avoid travelling underneath them.

New flurries and wind will add to 20 to 50 cm of recent wind-affected snow. which has been redistributed by northeast shifting to south winds, creating wind slabs on a variety of aspects. Below the recent snow is either a crust or a wind-scoured hard snow surface.

There are multiple persistent weak layers consisting of crust/facets or surface hoar in the top 250 cm of the snowpack. These layers present a low-probability, high-consequence problem.

The lower snowpack is generally well settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy. 5 to 10 cm of snow. 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Friday

Mostly cloudy. 5 cm of snow. 30 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Saturday

Mix of sun and clouds. 4 to 5 cm of snow. 20 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Sunday

Mostly sunny. 1 cm of snow. 10 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Use conservative route selection and resist venturing into complex terrain.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Be aware of the potential for large, destructive avalanches due to deeply buried weak layers.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.

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.

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.