Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 13 – 14, 2013Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

Fri
Sat
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Avalanches can be expected from the alpine over the next 24 hours. The best powder snow can be found in the Icefields on low angle terrain at treeline.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Dry

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Quantities of loose snow plasters steep cliffy terrain which is often encountered in and around ice climbs. With sufficient volume there currently to produce sizable avalanches, and more on the way, you would do well to avoid this terrain.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–3
    30cm of new snow has fallen in the Icefields area in the past 24hrs. This snow has formed stiffer wind slabs in the alpine than at treeline. Near treeline the slabs are softer and less sensitive to triggering. Moderate shears were recorded at 2350m.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Warm temperatures and rain at lower elevations are creating moist point release avalanches from steep terrain. Solar radiation will rapidly destabilize the snowpack in the valley bottom and near treeline.

Weather Forecast

Up to 15cm of new snow is forecast for upper elevation in the next 24 hours. At lower elevations this will fall as rain up to midnight then turning to snow. Freezing levels will increase to treeline. Winds will be highly variable ranging from light and NE in the East to strong and Westerly in the Icefields area.

Snowpack Summary

Soft slabs are forming in the Alpine under the influence of moderate to strong Westerly winds.  30cm of new snow has fallen in the past 24 hours in the Columbia Icefields area. At Treeline soft slabs exist in isolated terrain near ridges. On solar slopes, at Treeline and below this  snow is sitting over a crust which is up to 5cm thick.

Avalanche Summary

Poor visibility and flat light has obscured observations from the alpine but numerous piles of avalanche debris have been observed in runouts along highway 93. This indicates that an avalanche cycle is underway with numerous size 2 or 2.5 avalanches occurring in the alpine. At lower elevations loose point releases of size 1 were observed.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain on Friday

Regions covered