{"id":1837947,"date":"2026-03-20T21:39:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T18:39:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1837947"},"modified":"2026-03-20T21:39:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T18:39:24","slug":"rain-driven-avalanche-cycle-forces-trans-canada-highway-closure-in-british-columbia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1837947","title":{"rendered":"Rain-Driven Avalanche Cycle Forces Trans-Canada Highway Closure in British Columbia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rain has set off several wet slab avalanches at Rogers Pass. | Image: Parks Canada<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Trans-Canada Highway remains closed through Rogers Pass as an unusual combination of heavy rain and warm temperatures has destabilised the snowpack, triggering large natural avalanches and preventing standard control operations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Officials from Parks Canada said avalanche control work carried out on March 19 produced significant results, with artillery triggering avalanches up to size 4\u2014large enough to destroy infrastructure and reach valley floors.<\/strong> The highway briefly reopened overnight from 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m., but deteriorating conditions forced another closure on March 20.<\/p>\n

In a typical storm cycle, accumulating snowfall increases avalanche danger, which can then be reduced through controlled releases using artillery.<\/strong> However, current conditions have deviated sharply from that pattern. Instead of snow, the region is receiving significant rainfall, allowing liquid water to penetrate deep into the snowpack. This weakens structural layers and increases the likelihood of large, unpredictable avalanches.<\/p>\n

Parks Canada reports that natural avalanches are already reaching the edge of the highway, showing just how dangerous the current situation is in British Columbia. <\/strong>The shift from snow to rain has also limited mitigation options an according to Parks Canada, \u201cartillery control is no longer effective under current conditions.\u201d Furthermore, helicopter bombing operations are not possible, possibly delaying a safe opening of Rogers Pass, as\u00a0avalanche activity is occurring naturally and at large scale.\u00a0This leaves highway managers with few options beyond waiting for conditions to stabilise.<\/p>\n

According to Parks Canada, two key factors are required before the highway can safely reopen:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. A drop in temperatures, allowing the snowpack to refreeze and strengthen<\/li>\n
  2. A decrease in natural avalanche activity<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Until both conditions are met, the risk to motorists remains too high.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Several size 4 avalanches have been naturally triggered, forcing a closure of Rogers Pass. | Image: Parks Canada<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    The situation in Rogers Pass reflects broader conditions across western Canada and the U.S., where unseasonably warm temperatures and rain-on-snow events are driving a dangerous wet avalanche cycle<\/strong>. \u201cIts ugly out there, heavy rain soaked snow with large destructive avalanches running full path and breaking trees,\u201d Avalanche Canada advised. \u201cNow is a great time to stay out of the backcountry,\u201d the Canadian avalanche advisory center added.<\/p>\n

    Unlike dry slab avalanches, which are often predictable and controllable, wet avalanches are heavier, slower-moving, and far more difficult to manage\u2014especially when triggered naturally.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Weather forecasters anticipate that cooler temperatures later in the day could begin to stabilise the snowpack, potentially allowing for a reopening.<\/strong> However, timing remains uncertain, and officials are urging travelers to monitor updates closely.<\/p>\n

    Until then, one of Canada\u2019s most critical transportation corridors remains at the mercy of a rapidly weakening snowpack\u2014where rain, not snow, is now the dominant force shaping avalanche risk.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The avalanche danger is currently forecasted to drop through the weekend, but dangerous conditions likely will still exist. | Image: Avalanche Canada<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    Rain has set off several wet slab avalanches at Rogers Pass. | Image: Parks Canada The Trans-Canada Highway remains closed through Rogers Pass as an unusual combination of heavy rain and warm temperatures has destabilised the snowpack, triggering large natural avalanches and preventing standard control operations. Officials from Parks Canada said avalanche control work carried […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1837947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1837947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1837947"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1837947\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1837947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1837947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1837947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}