Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Jan 12th, 2017 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs and Loose Dry.

deryl kelly, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Hazard is a cautious Moderate. While natural activity is limited, the snowpack is a complex sandwich of buried and new wind slabs overlying a weak fragile mid-pack and base. Careful evaluation is required.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Increasing cloudiness over-night and through the day Friday. Overnight temperatures to -21 with slight, but continued warming thought the day and continuing into the weekend. High's expected to be near -10 in the Icefields area with light westerly winds. No precipitation is forecast for the foreseeable future.

Snowpack Summary

Previous HST has again been redistributed by moderate SW winds. Adding more layering to an already seriously complex, very shallow, faceted and weak snowpack. Multiple surface and buried wind slabs overlying a variety of faceted weaknesses to ground.

Avalanche Summary

Helicopter control on Jan 11th produced numerous slab avalanches to size 2.5 in the alpine, mainly wind slab in loaded gulley features. Loose dry activity continues out of steep, rocky terrain and tends to entrain facets on the slopes below.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations

Problems

Wind Slabs

Variable winds have created a complex situation of cross and, reverse loaded features through the region. Stripped ribs, ridge-tops, and open features threaten to push users into areas where the snow is over-loaded and created layered wind-slabs.

Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.Be careful with wind loaded pockets. Be aware of wide variation in snowpack depth

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Loose Dry

The faceted snowpack continues to lose cohesion and release loose dry avalanches from steep terrain. This is concerning for ice-climbers and skiers in confined/exposed terrain.

Be very cautious with gully features.Use caution above cliffs where small avalanches may have severe consequences.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Jan 13th, 2017 4:00PM