Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 17th, 2018 4:00PM

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

deryl kelly, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Unsettled weather for Sunday. Traces of precip and a weak overnight recovery. Freezing levels to rise to TL elevations over the morning.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Continued unsettled weather with light precip overnight Saturday and over the day Sunday. Freezing levels at or near 1700 to 1900m. Alpine low temperatures of -7 overnight and high of -4 for Sunday.

Snowpack Summary

10-15cm of fresh, dense snow has created fresh storm slabs. This came in wet and heavy and has bonded well to a warming, settling snowpack. Deeper persistent instabilities remain a concern in the snowpack but have not produced observable activity recently. Loose wet slides continue to trigger and entrain the accessible snow around.

Avalanche Summary

Wet point release avalanches will continue to be a problem whenever the rain line, freezing levels and solar spikes hit spring normals.

Confidence

Problems

Loose Wet

Expect any accumulated snow to shed from steep rocky terrain with solar or rain input.

Use caution above cliffs where small avalanches may have severe consequences.Avoid terrain traps, such as gullies, where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.

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

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Storm Slabs

Fresh storm slabs may sit on a hard melt-freeze crust on solar aspects, and facets on polar aspects, assess the bond at these interfaces carefully before committing to any avalanche start zones.

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created storm slabs.Use safe ski cutting techniques before entering ski run.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 18th, 2018 4:00PM