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

Dec 7th, 2019–Dec 8th, 2019

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

Regions

Jasper.

New snow will make for great skiing! Caution is advised as snow coverage over hazards such as rocks and trees may be thin. Snowpack variability will require careful assessment of every run.

Weather Forecast

The storm ends Saturday night replaced by clear cold air and northerly winds.

Sunday: Temps drop with a northerly flow.  Mix of sun and cloud.

Monday: Mix of sun and clouds.  Temps from -5 to -10 and light northerly ridge winds.

Tuesday: Mix of sun and cloud.  Seasonal temperatures and light Westerly winds.

Details here: Mountain Weather Forecast.

Snowpack Summary

40 to 50 cm of snow has fallen since Tuesday on a mix of surfaces; ground, surface facets, surface hoar, and previous wind slab and/or hard wind pressed surfaces. Moderate SW winds are building soft wind slabs at ridge tops. The Oct. and Nov. crusts are present in the mid and lower snowpack. Basal facets are weak and are changing into depth hoar.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported or observed by field teams today.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations on Sunday

Problems

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.