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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 11th, 2021–Feb 12th, 2021

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

Regions

Jasper.

Keep your objectives short and close to home if traveling in the Back Country.  Small injuries will have serious consequences with the frigid temperatures.

Weather Forecast

The next two days will remain cold, -20 to -30C, no new snow, relatively sunny, and light NE winds. Sunday to Tuesday it is warming up a little bit each day where maybe it might be -7C on Tuesday.

Snowpack Summary

The cold continues to promote rapid facetting in the upper 40cm. This is slowing slab development within the the recent Feb 3rd 40cm of storm surface snow. The mid-pack has remained strong and supportive but is showing signs of loosing strength with the prolonged arctic influence, especially where it is shallow.

Avalanche Summary

Thursday's field patrol to the Icefields noted numerous windslabs in the high alpine, cornice triggered, 50-90cm deep and 48-72 hours old. A loose dry widespread cycle up to size 2 occurred more recently, all elevations, steep rocky terrain, with some being triggered by the sun but not all.

Confidence

Due to the quality of field observations

Problems

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.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.