Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 5th, 2021–Mar 6th, 2021

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

Regions

Jasper.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/links/goto_e.asp?destination=

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.

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

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.

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.