Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 3rd, 2013 5:05PM

The alpine rating is considerable, the treeline rating is considerable, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Storm Slabs.

mike eder, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Highway 93 remains closed until better visibility occurs for avalanche control in the high alpine. Check for updates on Alberta road reports. Pending avalanche control results, there is a high confidence that the road will open by 1700 hours.

Summary

Weather Forecast

A ridge of high pressure will be in the forecast area for Monday with few clouds, light Southerly winds and colder temperatures with high diurnal swings.

Snowpack Summary

On Saturday strong Southwest winds redistributed up to 50cm of storm snow onto lee aspects making another slab over the previous hard slab surfaces.Â On Sunday night, another 34cm of snow came in with no winds and now sits on these slabs.

Avalanche Summary

Skies and peaks were mostly obscured today by the weather. Very few natural avalanches were observed between Jasper and Parkers ridge. However, good results were produced by avalanche control up to size 2.5 slabs in the parkers ridge area. These slid on weak layers lower in the snowpack.

Confidence

Problems

Storm Slabs

On Saturday, the heavy snow combined with strong Southwest winds built slabs on lee aspects. The overnight snow came in with almost no winds and warm temperatures which should bond well to the earlier storm snow.

Avoid unsupported slopes.Avoid steep, open slopes.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 4th, 2013 4:00PM