Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 22nd, 2024–Apr 23rd, 2024

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

The day generally starts at a low hazard and gradually increases as the day warms up. WATCH OUT if the sun pokes out increasing trigger-ability particularly on steep solar aspects.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Monday's Icefield patrol had great visibility. No new avalanches were observed from 1100 to 1300hrs. Sunday's Maligne-Bald Hills patrol noted no new avalanches but visibility was limited to below mountain tops.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 10cm of snow with variable wind effect overlies a strong mid-pack above 2400m on shaded aspects. Sunny aspects, and everywhere below 2400m, starts in the morning as a supportive surface crust that breaks down with solar input and rising daytime temperatures.

Weather Summary

Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada

Monday night will be clear, light winds, and -4 °C. Tuesday's forecast is for clouds, sun, 0 °C, light SW winds, and 2300m freezing level. Wednesday's weather will be clouds, sun, flurries, -3 °C to -1 °C, light gusting moderate SW winds, and a 2200m freezing level.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid steep slopes when air temperatures are warm, or solar radiation is strong.
Minimize your exposure time below cornices.

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.