Avalanche Forecast

Archived

May 13th, 2019–May 14th, 2019

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Below Threshold.

Treeline

Below Threshold.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

Jasper.

Regular avalanche forecasts are now finished. Use our Weather Stations, the Mountain Conditions Report, and the Mountain Information Network to stay up to date on current conditions, or ask for Visitor Safety at 780-852-6155 with specific questions.

Weather Forecast

The Mountain Weather Forecast is available from Avalanche Canada (https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast). Detailed local forecasts are available from sites like SpotWX (https://spotwx.com/)

Snowpack Summary

An overview is available: https://avalanche.ca/pages/static-page/spring-conditions

Generally, danger increases with daytime warming, & decreases with cold, clear nights. A dry winter snowpack may persist on shady, high alpine slopes.

As the snow thins, crevasse bridges weaken. Use extra care in thin wind-affected areas, eg the Athabasca Glacier.

Avalanche Summary

Activity increases with rising temps, especially during warm and/or sunny afternoons. Use extra caution if the surface hasn't refrozen overnight - clear nights help. Watch for Wind Slabs in the alpine, particularly following snow or rain. Use extra caution if these form above crusts - this often happens into Summer on high peaks, eg Mt Athabasca.

Confidence

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.

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.