Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible - Likely
- Size
- 1–2.5
Variable and strong upper elevation winds are continuing to create fresh windslabs.
Avalanche forecast
View on mapJasper
Feb 16 – 17, 2018Parks Canada
Archived · expired 9 years ago
Avalanche danger
Sat
Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Highlights
Take the time to carefully evaluate newly accessed terrain, large avalanches have been widespread over most aspects and elevations this week over the entire forecast area.
Avalanche problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
NNEESESSWWNW- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 2–3.5
Persistent slabs remain a problem. Areas exposed to large triggers such as cornices or smaller avalanches / sloughing from above are most likely to trigger this midpack weakness.
Weather Forecast
The edge of a series of troughs from the Aleutian Pacific region are being brought SE'ward through the forecast zone but are being kept mostly at bay by cold arctic air. Flurries are expected overnight but should result in less than 10cm of new snow. Clearing expected by the end of the weekend and into next week with sunshine and cold nights.
Snowpack Summary
The past week's storm snow has been redistributed by strong, variable direction winds. Where snow remains, 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 recent avalanches are suspect.
Avalanche Summary
Isolated windslab avalanches (likely failing on a persistent mid snowpack weakness, and up to size 2.5) were observed today in the Tonquin valley. East, South, and North aspects have formed windslabs and large cornices that have failed in the last 24 hrs in the north portion of the forecast zone.
Confidence
Due to the number of field observations