Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 30 – 31, 2018Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 9 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Highway 93 remains closed between Athabasca Falls and Saskatchewan River Crossing check Alberta 511 for updates.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2.5
    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 to a slope.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5
    Cornices are growing with fresh snow and strong winds

  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2.5
    Of greatest concern in the Alpine where winds were most consistently from the North. Cold temperatures will offer some forgiveness but if triggered this might provide enough mass for a step down effect to deeper weaknesses.

Weather Forecast

Snowfall amount will decrease overnight as the colder arctic air takes dominance. A clearing trend will emerge on Saturday with light winds shifting from North to West. On Sunday snow flurries are expected with 5cm each day into the new week.

Snowpack Summary

A variety of slab conditions exist on most aspects and are of greatest concern at treeline and above. 10-20cm of recent storm snow has created a soft storm slab under the influence of Northerly winds. Below this, older slabs up to 50cm thick sit on a sun-crust on solar aspects and facets on polar aspects. Below treeline the snow is shallow.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche control teams in the Icefields area had minimal results today at treeline. One size 2 debris pile was noted opposite the Weeping Wall resulting from an Alpine release hidden in the atmosphere a similar size event opposite Parker Ridge was also noted from the same storm

Confidence

Regions covered