Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 14th, 2018 4:00PM

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

Landon Shepherd, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Variable winds that were strong and gusty have provided new windslabs to navigate around while stripping much of the fun out of exposed alpine features.

Summary

Weather Forecast

An additional 5-10cm of snow is forecast overnight, with light northerly winds and seasonal temperatures. Tomorrow will be dry and cool as arctic air pushes into the eastern side of the rockies. On Friday flurries will return with a slight increase in temperatures and this should continue through the weekend.

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm of new snow redistributed by variable winds that were strong tapering to light today. New wind slabs overlie a settled upper snowpack which is sitting on the persistent weak layers in the mid snowpack. Widespread avalanche activity on these weak layers followed last week's storm, slopes without avalanches are suspect.

Avalanche Summary

Isolated slab avalanches (likely failing on a persistent mid snowpack weakness, and up to size 2) were observed by field teams at treeline elevations on Tuesday - likely triggered by the significant wind transport and warmer temperatures.

Confidence

Wind effect is extremely variable

Problems

Wind Slabs

Up to 15cm of new snow with winds and warmer temperatures is creating fresh windslabs.

If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Variable winds have created pockets of wind slab on all aspects.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Persistent Slabs

Persistent slabs remain a problem. The main concern is for areas exposed to large triggers such as cornices or smaller avalanches / sloughing from above.

Be wary of large alpine slopes that did not previously avalanche.Avoid travelling under cliffs that are exposed to sluffing from above.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3.5

Valid until: Feb 15th, 2018 4:00PM