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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 23rd, 2020–Feb 24th, 2020

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

Regions

Jasper.

There are dramatic differences in the snowpack between the Icefields and Whistler creek areas. Whistler area is significantly less supportive to skiers and is shallower. A large avalanche was skier triggered in that area on Feb 16.

Weather Forecast

Monday cloudy with isolated flurries, a little bit of snow, -10 C, and West winds 10-20 km/h. Tuesday will be cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, -18 to -10 C, and Southwest winds 15 km/h.

Find the Alberta Rockies weather synopsis here: Mountain Weather Forecast

Snowpack Summary

Widespread hard slab on most surfaces treeline and above. Scouring has occurred on windward alpine slopes and wind pressed or wind slabs on lee aspects. Solar crusts on solar aspects up to 2500m now buried by 5cm new snow. The mid-pack is bridging the deep basal facets and depth hoar except in shallow and steep rocky areas. 

Avalanche Summary

No field patrol on Sunday. Maligne and Icefields patrol on Saturday noted nothing new. No new avalanches reported from field team in the Circus valley near Portal creek on Friday.

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

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.

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.