Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 4th, 2024–Dec 5th, 2024

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 possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

Warm temperatures will continue into Thursday. Remember that even a small avalanches in the wrong place can have serious consequences.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported.

Snowpack Summary

10cm of moist surface snow to around 2200m due to above freezing temperatures. The Nov 8 crust and facets are down 20-30 cm at tree-line and below. We have also found surface hoar (6mm) down 60cm at 2500m. The October crust is widespread and is found near the base of the snow pack and has facets above and below. Snow depth is roughly 70 cm at treeline and tapers rapidly below.

Weather Summary

Thursday

Mainly cloudy.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: High -2 °C.

Ridge wind west: 10 km/h.

Freezing level: 2000 metres.

Friday

Flurries.

Accumulation: 7 cm.

Alpine temperature: Low -8 °C, High -3 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 20 km/h.

Freezing level: 1800 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Small avalanches may cause climbers to fall or bury belayers and gear.
Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present in the snowpack.

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.