Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 2nd, 2013 4:00PM

The alpine rating is high, the treeline rating is high, and the below treeline rating is considerable. Known problems include Storm Slabs.

mike eder, Parks Canada

Jasper.

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.

Summary

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

The heavy snow combined with strong Southwest winds will build slabs on lee aspects. More snow overnight will make these easy to trigger with enough load to perhaps step down into deeper weak layers in the snowpack.

Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Very Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Mar 3rd, 2013 4:00PM