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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 2nd, 2021–Apr 3rd, 2021

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, human triggered possible.

Regions

Jasper.

Be vigilant for windslabs building with small inputs of snow and steady SW winds. The freezing level is incrementally rising the next few days. Expect precipitation in the form of rain at lower elevations that can rapidly destabilize the snow.

Weather Forecast

Saturday will bring 12 cm mostly late in the day, -3C, light gusting strong SW winds, and 1800m freezing level. Sunday will be flurries, 4cm of snow, -5C, light to moderate West winds, and 1500m freezing level. Monday will be warmer with a 1900m freezing level.

Snowpack Summary

Widespread variability on the surface with 10cm of new snow and variable winds forming wind slabs on a variety of aspects at TL and ALP. Deteriorating travel conditions below 1900m. The snowpack shows strength and good bonding in field tests but "feels" weak in shallow snowpack regions like Whistlers/Portal creek and Maligne zones.

Avalanche Summary

Use the Mountain Information Network to report your field observations and contribute to the bulletin. Friday's Icefield patrol noted no new natural but the visibility was poor. From the vantage point on top of Whistler mountain also noted no new activity but visibility was very poor. 

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain on Saturday

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.

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.