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Forecasters say a warm storm sweeping across British Columbia this weekend is increasing risks at a time of year that is historically the deadliest for avalanches in Canada.
Environment and Climate Change Canada says the system will bring precipitation, strong winds and rising freezing levels across much of the province.
“What that’s going to really mean more than anything else is, we’re sort of setting ourselves up for more snowfall as we move through the weekend at higher elevations,” said Brian Proctor, a meteorologist with the weather agency.
He says avalanche danger is expected to peak Saturday in parts of the South Coast, including the North Shore Mountains, as freezing levels are expected to climb over 1,500 to 1,800 metres.
A fourth person has been killed in an avalanche in British Columbia this season. As the CBC’s Alanna Kelly reports, the recent death happened in an area frequently visited by people in the backcountry.
“We’re going to be looking at much more problematic precipitation,” Proctor added.
That means rain could fall on existing snow in many mountain areas, a combination that forecasters say can increase avalanche risk.
Storms that add new snow or rain on existing snow can increase the pressure on those layers and make it more likely to collapse or slide, says Karina Bakker, a forecaster with Avalanche Canada.
“When we’re looking at new snow coming, it’ll all start to stick together and create one cohesive chunk, which is what can cause quite dangerous avalanches,” she said.
“If you trigger a big chunk sliding down altogether at once, especially if there’s a weak layer underneath, something really easy for it to slide on, that’s when we can get these large avalanches.”
Weak layers buried deep in snowpack
Forecasters say the current risk stems from what are known as “persistent slab” conditions, which is a layer of snow that sits above weaker snow buried deeper in the snowpack.
“A lot of these weak layers are sitting between about 50 centimetres and 150 centimetres deep,” Bakker said.
A slab avalanche occurs when the weaker layer collapses under the weight of the snow above it, causing the entire slab to slide down the slope.
Those deeper weak layers can make avalanches harder to predict, Bakker says, because unlike other avalanche types, the usual warning signs may not appear.
“With storm slabs and wind slab avalanches, when they happen, usually there’s some signs, you’ll hear things as you travel through the snowpack, or you might see the snow starting to crack away from your ski as you go,” the forecaster added.
“Because persistent slabs are so deep in the snowpack, you won’t see those signs necessarily, and then you might just hit that one sweet spot that triggers an avalanche deep below you.”
Why March is particularly dangerous
According to Avalanche Canada, March historically sees the highest number of avalanche fatalities. Over the past 20 years, 69 people have died in avalanches across Canada during the month.
Bakker says March can be particularly risky because of how the snowpack evolves over the winter.
Early in the season, snow layers are relatively simple. But as cold spells, storms and warm periods cycle through the winter months, multiple layers can build up within the snowpack.
“March is kind of when you peak in having quite a few complex layers in there,” Bakker said.
Five people have died in avalanches in B.C. since December 2025, including a 23-year-old snowmobiler killed near Kootenay Pass on Feb. 28 and a professional snowboarder who died near Joffre Lakes Park just days earlier.
Avalanche Canada is warning that B.C.’s snowpack this year is unusually weak and will be more vulnerable to avalanches. A Prince George Search and Rescue group is hoping those heading to the backcountry will take the time to train themselves in case of an avalanche disaster.
Forecasters urge caution
Avalanche Canada is urging people heading into the backcountry to check daily forecasts and choose conservative terrain.
“Patience is the name of the game,” Bakker said.
She recommends sticking to slopes under 30 degrees when avalanche danger is rated considerable, and avoiding avalanche terrain entirely when the danger rating is high.
