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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 6th, 2021–Jan 7th, 2021

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

Regions

Jasper.

Winds have moderated but expect wind slabs have developed at tree line and above. Although natural avalanche activity has decreased, conservative terrain selection is advised and assess every slope.

Weather Forecast

Thursday will be clouds and sun, no new snow, -7C and light SW winds. Friday will be similar with 10-20km/hr SW winds. Saturday will be slightly cooler but very similar to previous days. No new snow is expected for the next 5 days. 

Snowpack Summary

40cm of new snow from Sunday is being redistributed by SW winds mainly at exposed ridge-tops. This new snow overlies a sporadically distributed surface hoar and facet layer down 40-70cm. The mid-pack is supportive except in shallow locations. The bottom is weak facets and depth hoar.

Avalanche Summary

No patrol on Wednesday and nothing reported. Tuesday's Hilda patrol had no new. Sunday-Monday, after the 40cm storm, several large avalanches were observed in the alpine. Sunday's explosive control had varied results with some several size 3 wind slabs. Some stepped down. Make your observations count by using Mountain Information Network.

Confidence

Due to the number of field observations

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

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.