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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 12th, 2022–Feb 13th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
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.

Regions

Jasper.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/links/goto_e.asp?destination=http://www.avalanche.ca/spaw/2022-02-10-spaw

The avalanche hazard has dropped off but unfortunately..... so has the snow quality. The best opportunity for soft snow is in sun sheltered terrain at tree line.

Avoid solar slopes during peak warming.

Weather Forecast

Sunday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Trace Precipitation. Freezing level rising to 2000m. Wind South West 10-25km/h

Monday: Cloudy with sunny periods. Freezing level 1700m. South West wind 10-20km/h.

Tuesday: Cloudy with sunny periods and Isolated flurries. No precipitation. Freezing level valley bottom.

Snowpack Summary

Weak temperature crust on all aspects up to 1900m with a sun crust on solar aspects extending into alpine. Upper snowpack has settled but expect reactivity to increase during peak warming/ solar exposure. Exposed alpine stripped to rock at ridge top & open features. Dec Facets down 20-70cm. Basal faceting & depth hoar widespread throughout area.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche control using explosives produced size 2 wet loose results Thursday. A Natural size 3 persistent slab avalanche was noted from a SW aspect on Nigel peak; estimated date Feb 09- likely triggered by large cornice fall from above.

No new avalanche activity observed on the Icefields Parkway or Maligne Lake Road Feb 11-12. 

Confidence

Problems

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 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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.