The Icefields Parkway is closed due to high avalanche danger. It will not open until control work has been completed. The new storm snow is unstable and will need time to stabilize. Resist the urge and stick to safe lines on lower angle terrain!
Lawinenprobleme
Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Possible
Größe
1–2
These winds slabs have now been buried by the new snow so will be hard to locate.
Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Very Likely
Größe
1–4
>35 cm of storm snow has fallen in the past 24 hrs and has been redistributed by moderate SW winds. This new snow is overloading the weak snowpack below resulting in large deep avalanches.
Deep Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Likely
Größe
2–4
In many areas, the basal facet weakness has been avalanched away, where this has not happened, there is a lot of snow sitting on top of this unstable weakness.
Weather Forecast
The major storm has past however further amounts of up to 20-30 cm are possible by Monday night. Winds are expected to increase to strong from the W to NW. Temperatures will dip Sunday morning then rebound. Temperatures will increase to above freezing with the possibility of rain later in the week.
Snowpack Summary
>35cm of storm snow has fallen since Friday. Moderate SW winds have created deep soft slab conditions in the alpine and open TL slopes. In many locations, these new slabs are sitting on weak basal facets.
Avalanche Summary
Very poor visibility precluded avalanche observation however numerous large avalanches were heard through out the day from the Icefields to Sask Xing. Sluffing of storm snow on steep banks was observed as well as soft slab avalanches to sz 1.5 at treeline.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Monday