Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 21st, 2015 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.

tim mcallister, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Though Moderate hazard in the alpine, caution is required in shallow, wind loaded areas in the alpine. Triggering avalanches is still possible.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Chance of flurries overnight with temps to -13. Clearing Sunday and Monday as arctic front pushes down.

Snowpack Summary

Light dusting over night. The Feb 13th rain crust lies underneath a melt-freeze crust up to 2000m elevation. The melt-freeze crust goes up to 2200m. A mixture of rounded and facetted layers are sandwiched between these upper layers and the weak depth hoar/ facets prevalent in the lower snowpack down to ground.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed or reported today.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain on Monday

Problems

Wind Slabs

Caution in shallow and unsupported areas where wind slab has formed.

If triggered the storm/wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Use caution in lee areas in the alpine. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

Cornice failures or skier travel in shallow snowpack areas are likely ways to trigger this deep weakness in the snowpack.

Avoid shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Feb 22nd, 2015 4:00PM