Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 3 – 4, 2021
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Archived · expired 6 years ago

Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable

Highlights

Potential for a significant solar triggered cycle on an already active snowpack for the rest of the week.

Start early, seek out dry slopes, and finish early!

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3

    Continued wind slab development is expected with overnight snowfall and moderate SW winds.

    Wind slabs in the alpine and exposed treeline features have the potential for wide propagations across connected features.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5

    Afternoon sun is packing a punch on lower elevation, SW through W slopes. Ice climbers: be extremely cautious. Overhead hazards can catch sun early.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    1.5–3

    Caution in thin facetted snowpack areas where triggering is more likely. This is a low probability but high consequence problem.

Weather Forecast

Overnight: Mainly cloudy. Alpine temperature: Low -12 °C. Ridge wind sw: 10 km/h.

Wednesday: Mainly cloudy. Alpine temperature: High -6 °C. Ridge wind sw: 10 km/h. Freezing level: 1400 m

Thursday: Cloudy with sunny periods. Alpine temperature: Low -10 °C, High -4 °C. Ridge wind sw: 10 km/h. Freezing level: 1800m

Snowpack Summary

Continued widespread wind effect with some light precip. transported through open areas at all elevations. Windward aspects have been heavily stripped of snow, creating hard windslabs in all lee features. Highly variable snowpack across the region, with shallow areas failing at the faceted base, while deeper regions have a strong mid-pack bridge.

Avalanche Summary

Wind slabs up to size 2-3 were observed again today in the Sunwapta Zone on E and SW aspects.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Wednesday

Regions covered