Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Jasper, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.
It may be spring down low but it is still winter-like conditions up high.
Recent snowfall has been highly variable due to the convective weather patterns. Be aware of how well the new snow is bonding to old crusts.
Read the Avalanche Canada Forecasters Blog for resources on how to navigate the switch to spring.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
No new natural avalanche activity reported on Monday. Nearest neighbours have been seeing dry loose & sluffing in the Alpine and wet loose at Treeline and below, all on steep terrain features. All size 1 or less.
Snowpack Summary
Sunday evening brought a good overnight refreeze all the way to valley bottom. Recent snowfall amounts vary with approx 10cm of new snow in the last few days. Recent snow has been redistributed by winds from all directions. A plethora of crusts extend up to at least 2600m, on all aspects, and to ridgetop on solar aspects.
Weather Summary
Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada
Monday Evening
Flurries up to 4 cm. Alpine low -7 °C. Light winds gusting to 35 km/h. Freezing level valley bottom.
Tuesday
Cloudy with flurries. Alpine high -3 °C. Light winds from North gusting to 50 km/h. Freezing level 1900m
Wednesday
Cloudy with sunny periods & isolated flurries. Alpine low -6 °C, High -2 °C. Winds NE 15-35 km/h. Freezing level 2200 m.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
- Wind slabs may be poorly bonded to the underlying crust.
- Be carefull with sluffing in steep terrain, especially above cliffs and terrain traps.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Recent snow and wind has formed isolated windslabs in lee areas at ridgetop in the alpine. The winds have been very variable so assess for loading in the not-so-normal locations.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5
Loose Dry
Recent snowfall has been highly variable throughout the region. Be aware of the potential for loose avalanches in steep terrain where snow hasn't bonded well to old surfaces.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 1.5