Highway 93 from Jasper to Saskatchewan river crossing is presently closed. Results from avalanche control will determine if the closure goes later than Sunday. Check the Alberta road report for updates Sunday afternoon.
Weather Forecast
Up to an additional 20cm of snow will arrive overnight with only light to moderate winds. Snowfall will gradually taper off on Sunday as the system moves towards the Southeast. Colder temperatures and clearing skies should begin late Sunday afternoon and continue into Monday.
Snowpack Summary
Up to 50cm of storm snow has fallen in the last 36 hours with more to come overnight. Yesterday, strong Southwest winds redistributed this snow onto lee aspects making another slab over the previous snow surface. These heavier slabs may provide sufficient load for a slide to step down into deeper weak layers.
Avalanche Summary
Visibility is presently obscured along Highway 93, so no avalanche observations were possible between Jasper and Saskatchewan river crossing.
Confidence
Timing of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Monday
Problems
Storm Slabs
Storm Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer (a slab) of new snow that breaks within new snow or on the old snow surface. Storm-slabs typically last between a few hours and few days (following snowfall). Storm-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.