Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 10th, 2024–Jan 11th, 2024

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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

Remember that this cold weather makes even a minor injury potentially serious. If you're brave enough to adventure in this weather then keep your days short and conservative.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several Loose Dry avalanche were observed from steep rocky features to size one on Thursday from across the region.

Snowpack Summary

10cm of recent snowfall has been redistributed by North East winds. This is creating isolated wind slabs on non-typical SW aspects. The snowpack is structurally weak, with mixed facets, and depth hoar in the base. Sheltered areas have an average snow depth of ~45-75 cm.

Weather Summary

Friday

Sunny

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: High -31 °C.

Light ridge wind.

Saturday

Sunny

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: Low -33 °C, High -24 °C.

Light ridge wind.

The Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast

Terrain and Travel Advice

Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
Loose avalanches may start small but they can grow and push you into dangerous terrain.

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.