Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 18th, 2026–Apr 19th, 2026

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

Regions

Northwest Coastal, Boundary, Kitimat, Nass, Rupert, Shames, Stewart.

Reactive wind slabs likely exist at higher elevations where dry snow remains, while loose wet avalanches are expected with high freezing levels and little to no overnight refreeze.

Confidence

Moderate

  • We are uncertain due to a highly variable snowpack.
  • We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.

Avalanche Summary

Several small avalanches (size 1 to 2) were reported over the last couple of days. In general, loose wet avalanches were reported on steep, sun-exposed slopes, while a mix of loose dry, wind slab, and storm slab avalanches occurred at higher elevations on shaded slopes where dry snow persists.

If you’re heading into the backcountry, please consider submitting a MIN report—observations are particularly limited this time of year.

Snowpack Summary

In alpine terrain, up to 40 cm of recent snow continues to settle and bond atop crusty surfaces in all but high-alpine north-facing slopes, where a crust below the recent snow is unlikely. Deeper deposits of wind-loaded snow can be found in leeward terrain from recent southwesterly winds.

In most areas at treeline and below, the upper snowpack is moist, and possibly even isothermal at low elevations.

Check out this Conditions Update video for tips on managing the current spring conditions.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night
Cloudy. 2 to 4 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 30 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1300 m.

Sunday
Cloudy. 1 to 5 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 1 °C. Freezing level 1400 m.

Monday
Mostly cloudy. 1 mm of rain at treeline. 40 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 2 °C. Freezing level 1600 m.

Tuesday
Mix of sun and clouds. 1 to 2 mm of precipitation as snow or rain at treeline. 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature 0 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.

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.