Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 20th, 2015 4:00PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.

tim mcallister, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Up to 5cm of snow overnight will freshen things up. Caution is required in shallow areas in the alpine to not wake up the weak layers at the base of the snowpack.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Flurries tonight and into Saturday morning with accumulations to 5cm. Could be rain and snow as temps are hovering around zero in valley bottoms. Clearing trend and cooler temps for Sunday and beyond.

Snowpack Summary

The Feb 13th rain crust lies underneath a melt-freeze crust up to 2000m elevation. The melt-freeze crust goes up to 2200m. A mixture of rounded and facetted layers are sandwiched between these upper layers and the weak depth hoar/ facets prevalent in the lower snowpack down to ground.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed or reported today.

Confidence

Timing of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Saturday

Problems

Wind Slabs

Caution in shallow and unsupported areas where wind slab has formed.

Use caution in lee areas in the alpine. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.If triggered the storm/wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

Cornice failures or skier travel in shallow snowpack areas are likely ways to trigger this deep weakness in the snowpack.

Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.Avoid shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

2 - 4

Valid until: Feb 21st, 2015 4:00PM