Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Jan 27 – 28, 2015Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 12 years ago

Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

Highway 93 and Maligne lake road are closed until further notice.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Heavy snow sits on the December weak layer. Any additional load such as a small point release can step down to this weak layer. Once the slide is moving, it will step down further to ground from the weight of the snowpack.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Strong SW winds continue to scour open slopes in the alpine and redistribute that snow into wind slabs on lee aspects and cross loaded features. This extra load combined with a skier will likely initiate an avalanche.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    The snow below treeline is saturated from the rain and if it slides, it will go to ground. Avoid consequential areas where heavy wet slides may push you over or into terrain traps. Low elevation ice climbs will be prone to wet sloughs.

Weather Forecast

Scattered flurries are expected to be produce on trace amounts of snow on Tuesday with the freezing level staying around 1400m into early Wednesday morning. Winds will lighten up and stay steady from the SW to West. Later in the week should see a slight cooling trend which will firm up the snowpack.

Snowpack Summary

Below 2500m, the has been an infusion of rain and/or wet snow.  At treeline, the heavier snow sits over a persistent weak layer. Below treeline,  isothermic conditions exist. With a such a highly variable snowpack in the region, expect these conditions to overload lingering instabilities and go to ground in some locations. 

Avalanche Summary

Numerous slab avalanches up to size 3 were seen originating at treeline on all aspects near the forecast area. These were often started by a point release from above which would have stepped down to the midpack weak layer and also to ground.  Below treeline, numerous loose snow avalanches up to size 2,started from rock bluffs.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain on Wednesday

Regions covered