Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 25th, 2018 4:00PM

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

jonas hoke, Parks Canada

Jasper.

More snow has fallen in the Icefields region than to the North recently. Plan your day and manage terrain accordingly.

Summary

Weather Forecast

A warm front off the pacific will make it's way inland giving unsettled weather and light snowfall.Monday in the Icefields area will be cloudy with flurries (up to 5cm). Alpine temps low -13C, high -7C. Ridgetop winds will be moderate from the SW.Tuesday will see more snowfall (up to 10cm) with ongoing cool temps and strong SW winds.

Snowpack Summary

15 to 25cm of storm snow fell in the Icefields last week (5-10cm in the Jasper area), all that has been redistributed by gusty west winds, creating extensive wind effect TL and above. Several crusts are now buried on solar aspects (up to 45cm deep in isolated areas) with light, dry snow between the windslab and the upper crust at higher elevations.

Avalanche Summary

No new natural activity has been observed or reported.

Confidence

Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs 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 avalanche start zones.

Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.Stay well to the windward side of corniced ridges.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 1.5

Valid until: Mar 26th, 2018 4:00PM