Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 5th, 2016 4:00PM

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

Parks Canada deryl kelly, Parks Canada

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Jasper.

Yo-yo laps on your favorite BTL line will be the best way to enjoy the new snow.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Snow, heaviest overnight and through Saturday morning with 10+ cm possible.  This storm is coming in hard and fast with moderate and strong S-ly winds. Temps dip into Sunday and then a significant warming trend into early next week.

Snowpack Summary

Buried and new wind slab formed at tree-line and above on North-Easterly aspects below ridge crests and cross-loaded terrain. These slabs are loading a weak and facetted mid-pack that has a layer of concern down about 60cm at the interface between old facets and new snow. Isolated pockets of decomposing surface hoar at tree-line down 40cm.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported

Confidence

Wind effect is extremely variable

Problems

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
New wind slab forming on lee and cross-loaded terrain. This is in addition to wind slabs up to 80cm thick formed during the storm at the end of last week.
Be aware of the potential for wide propagations due to the presence of hard windslabs.Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
35cm of storm snow from last week has formed a slab overlying a weak facetted snowpack. Field teams have found decomposed surface hoar with sudden planar test results in isolated locations at tree line. This is the key interface to assess.
Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls at treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Feb 6th, 2016 4:00PM

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