Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 30 – 31, 2017Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Cautiously moderate at treeline. Not seeing natural activity but it's critically important to continue to avoid shallow snowpack areas and be aware of the overhead hazards. Wind effect prominent in the alpine.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Large cornices on ridge top lee features. Their sheer mass is a problem. Recent cornice failures have been generally small (a few tons or so;) but are consistently triggering large deep persistent slab avalanches in alpine terrain.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    No expectations for activity first thing in the morning but, as the day progresses expect to see snowballing, and loose slides on solar aspects at TL and below.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    2–4
    The deep persistent slab can be triggered by travelers from shallow or weak locations or naturally from large loads such as cornice failure or windslab avalanches.

Weather Forecast

Precip expected to taper off over the evening on Thursday. By Friday morning expect cold temps to start the day near -12 to -15. Broken and clearing skies developing through the day with moderate SW winds and freezing level rising to 1800m.

Snowpack Summary

Creamy and settled surface snow with some wind effect in the open. Near surface non-persistent weaknesses, active on typically problematic features like convexities and immediate lees. March Interfaces melting into the mid-pack with inconsistent mod to hard field test results. All this, sitting on a large, facet layer off the ground.

Avalanche Summary

Field teams reporting cornice failures in the Alpine to 2.5.

Confidence

Regions covered