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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 24th, 2025–Mar 27th, 2025

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

Regions

Waterton Lakes, Waterton.

Freezing levels will be well above ridgetop for the next three days and a large avalanche cycle is expected to occur. Limit you exposure to overhead hazard and time spent on steep slopes as the cycle runs its course.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Numerous natural wet loose avalanches to size 2, and a few windslab and persistent slab avalanches to size 2.5 were observed on Monday.

Snowpack Summary

We have had 20 cm of new snow since the 20th and have been redistributed into windslabs 20 - 40 cm deep in lee features in the alpine and treeline. The warm temperatures are making the surface snow moist at all elevations. There is a robust melt freeze crust buried 30 - 80 cm deep. This crust exists everywhere except for northerly aspects above 1900 m. The January drought layer lies 50 –130 cm deep, with snow depths at treeline averaging 130–200 cm.

Weather Summary

A significant warmup has started with freezing levels above ridgetop. See the table below for a more detailed forecast.

Check out the Mountain Weather Forecast for the most up to date information.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
  • Avoid thin areas like rocky outcrops where you're most likely to trigger avalanches on deep weak layers.

Problems

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.

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.