Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 3rd, 2014 4:00PM

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

deryl kelly, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Extremely cold temperatures will make travel slow and the ice hard and brittle. Bundle up and watch your partners for frostbite.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Expecting Tuesday to grace us with possibly the coldest temperatures of the season so far (forecasted to lows of -35 overnight in the ice fields area)! We should see a warming trend as we move into the weekend and continued sunshine to help soften the bite of the temperatures.

Snowpack Summary

Surface facetting due to extremely cold temps. Hard mid-pack is providing bridging strength over the weak basal facet layer at tree line and above. Recent settlement below tree line has greatly improved travel. Reasonable ski conditions can be found in sheltered features at tree line and below.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported today.

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

This layer is well bridged by a strong mid and upper snowpack but could still be triggered from shallow or rocky terrain.

Carefully evaluate and use caution around thin snowpack areas.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Wind Slabs

Strong northerly winds have redistributed snow into isolated pockets of wind slab at alpine elevations.

Use caution in lee areas in the alpine. Recent wind loading have created wind slabs.

Aspects: North, North East, East.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 4th, 2014 4:00PM