Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 6 – 7, 2021
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

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We are looking at a newly formed sun crust on solar aspects and a continuous wind slab development for this weekend.Heavily faceted snowpack below the surface should be thoroughly examined before committing to your line.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3

    Wind slabs in the alpine and exposed treeline features have the potential for wide propagations across connected features.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    Caution in thin facetted snowpack areas where triggering is more likely. This is a low probability but high consequence problem.

Weather Forecast

Saturday: Cloudy, isolated flurries. Precipitation: Trace. Alpine High -7 °C. Ridge wind southwest: 15-35 km/h. Sunday: Cloudy,  isolated flurries. Precipitation: Trace. Alpine  Low -12 °C, High -8 °C. Ridge wind southwest: 15-35 km/h. Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. Precipitation: Nil.  Alpine Low -14 °C, High -9 °C. Ridge wind west: 10-30 km/h. 

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack is highly variable throughout the forecast region. Warm temperatures have created thin crust on solar aspects at TL and BTL.  Upper snowpack, either wind or sun affected, overlies a still relatively supportive mid-pack in the Icefields area. Shallow snowpack areas are weak and failing within various faceted layers in test results.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous loose wet and slab avalanches on solar aspects up to size 2, mostly at TL and BTL throughout the forecast region observed on Thursday into Friday. Large natural slab avalanches observed in high alpine earlier in the week with no new activity reported in couple days.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Saturday

Regions covered