Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 12th, 2018 4:00PM

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

max darrah, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Natural activity has tapered, but there remains a high degree of uncertainty for large alpine slopes that have not recently slid. Good skiing can be found in sheltered areas below treeline.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Temperatures remaining cool, but have the potential to reach fluctuate significantly over the course of the day. 10-15mm expected in a series of light snowfalls from Tuesday morning to Wednesday evening. Winds expected to intensify to strong from the SW with the first pulse of snow on Tuesday.

Snowpack Summary

Varied storm snow amts: 10-15cm in the Icefields, 40cm near Mt Wilson, and 30cm north of Beauty creek is sitting on the weak and facetted persistent slab at mid snowpack. Reverse loading from a northerly flow has cross-loaded Alpine features.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche activity has tapered. No new observations from field team in the Parker Ridge area.

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Up to 45cm of HST fell through the forecast area. Winds during the storm were from the SW but switched to North Easterly on Sunday.

If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.Variable winds have created pockets of wind slab on all aspects.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Persistent Slabs

Persistent slabs remain a problem. The main concern is for areas exposed to large triggers such as cornices and large South facing alpine terrain exposed to the sun.

Be wary of large alpine slopes that did not previously avalanche.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Feb 13th, 2018 4:00PM