Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 22nd, 2014 4:07PM

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

Parks Canada a.l. horton, Parks Canada

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Jasper.

Light winds and snowfall have not added significant load to the snowpack resulting in a lack of recent natural avalanche activity.  Large human triggered avalanches are still likely especially from thin spots and in cross-loaded terrain.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Light snow is forecast to continue through the weekend with accumulation up to 10 cm.  The next significant pulse of snow is expected mid-week.  Daytime temperatures will moderate slightly into next week rising to the freezing level  in the valley bottoms, cold overnight temperatures will continue.  Winds will remain light primarily from the SW.

Snowpack Summary

The ~40 cm of snow received last week has settled with little wind effect in most areas.  Previous surfaces including sun crusts on solar aspects and wind slab  below ridgelines and cross-loaded gulley features  are buried and are hard to discern.  The Feb10th drought layer is 100 cm deep and is the greatest concern for triggering. 

Avalanche Summary

No new observations today with observers in the Maligne and a helicopter flight in the Cavell Area. Several large avalanches were observed earlier this week. on the Feb 10th layer.  These avalanches exhibited wide propagation primarily on big East facing alpine terrain.

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable on Sunday

Problems

Persistent Slabs

An icon showing Persistent Slabs
The "drought layer" (Feb 10) has been sensitive in the past week contributing to numerous large avalanches. Pay particular attention to moraines at treeline and cross-loaded features in the alpine.
Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 3

Wind Slabs

An icon showing Wind Slabs
Windslabs are forming in wind prone areas like below lee ridges at treeline and above and cross-loaded gulley features.
Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 23rd, 2014 4:00PM

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