Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 14th, 2019 4:00PM

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

jasper snow safety, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Temperatures are continually rising throughout the weekend. This will be the first significant change for over a month. This warming trend has the potential to trigger the first spring avalanche cycle

Summary

Weather Forecast

Friday will be sun and cloud, no precipitation, Alpine high of -7 C, and 15-35km/hr West winds. Saturday will be clouds with sunny periods and flurries, trace precipitation, low -10 high -5, light West winds, and freezing level 1600m.

Snowpack Summary

Windslabs located in the alp and TL on N to E aspects. The snowpack is relatively strong through most of the region especially in deep snowpack areas. Shallow areas are weak, and will morph quickly to moist 'spring like' slab conditions from the surface down. With the persistent basal weakness, this could fail with the full depth of the snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

On March 12th, a group of skiers triggered a wind slab in the backcountry behind Marmot Basin in Whistler creek locally known as Ed's Alley. It was on a North Alpine Aspect with shallow snowpack, scree ground, and severely wind affected.Several large wind slab avalanches on alpine NE aspects ran Monday after a weak storm.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain on Sunday

Problems

Loose Dry

Natural triggering has abated but human triggering remains a possibility, particularly in steep sheltered terrain.

Minimize exposure to steep, planar slopes.Be aware of party members below you that may be exposed to your sluffs.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Wind Slabs

Fresh windslabs sit on a variety of old surfaces. Winds continue to gust moderate from the SW.

Avoid steep lee and cross-loaded slopesBe aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, North West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Mar 15th, 2019 4:00PM