Natural and human triggered avalanches are possible as winds continue to buffet and sculpt Jasper's snowpack.
Winds will continue Monday night maintaining this problem. Strong to extreme winds with some new snow is being redeposited on lee aspects. Be vigilant for a spotty inconsistent buried surface hoar layer 30cm down, whumpfing, or cracking snow.
Persistent slabs sit over different weak layers depending on elevation & aspect. It is critical to investigate these layers before committing as there is a lot of variability dependent on aspect and elevation.
Monday night will be flurries, -10C, and light gusting 75km/hr West winds. Tuesday is expected to be sun with flurries, -8C, with light to moderate west winds. Wednesday will be similar with 4cm of snow, -4 to -8C, light winds, yet 1900m freezing level. Thursday will be comparable yet with slightly increased winds and 1600m freezing level.
Moderate, gusting Strong to extreme SW winds are sustaining the Windslab condition yet it appears to be bonding well. The mid-pack is a supportive mixed and rounded grains with generally a consistent coverage at tree line and above except where the winds have scoured to ground. A Surface Hoar layer is buried 30cm deep at tree line yet inconsistent.
Monday's Maligne and Icefield patrols noted several small loose wet low elevation avalanches triggered by the late afternoon warm sun on Sunday. One size 1.5 loose wet occurred at 5pm on Sunday at Medicine lake hitting the road. A size 2 cross loaded gully slab was observed on Sunday across from Boundary lake in a steep alpine SW gully.
