Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Mar 24th, 2015 4:00PM

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

landon shepherd, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Warm temperatures, little overnight recovery, and bursts of solar power starting tomorrow will make loose wet avalanches likely where snow still exists on solar aspects.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Temperatures and freezing levels are expected to dramatically rise tomorrow afternoon and with expected cloud cover, we will see little recovery overnight. Light precip can also be expected as waves of convective cloud pass through. This intermittent cloud will bring strong solar effects whenever the skies clear.

Snowpack Summary

Warm temperatures will continue to bond the new snow to the old snow surfaces in areas that are sheltered from direct solar influence. Rising daytime freezing levels are combining with PM solar to weaken the soft slab on steeper solar slopes.

Avalanche Summary

ltd observations, no new reported

Confidence

Problems

Wind Slabs

Warm temperatures will be helping bond soft slabs and windslabs in lee features in the alpine and at treeline in shaded lee features.

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 - 3

Deep Persistent Slabs

Large cornices or surface avalanches are the likely trigger.

Give cornices a wide berth when travelling on or below ridges.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

2 - 3

Loose Wet

Expect the sun to have a lot of power when it makes an appearance. Rising freezing levels make a solar trigger much more likely.

Watch for terrain traps where small amounts of snow will acumulate into deep deposits.

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

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible - Likely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Mar 25th, 2015 4:00PM