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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 30th, 2023–Mar 31st, 2023

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

Recent field trips have shown a high amount of variability in the snowpack based on elevation and aspect. This introduces some uncertainty regarding the reactivity of deep persistent slabs in shallow snowpack areas or if tested by large triggers such as cornices.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Sporadic avalanches are still occurring throughout the region. On Tuesday a size 2 avalanche ran in the Churchill North Slide path to tree line.

Don't forget to post avalanche observations to the MIN.

Snowpack Summary

Sun crust at all elevations on solar aspects. Facets on polar aspects with unsupportive pockets in shallow snowpack areas. The middle of the snowpack consists of multiple layers of dense wind-affected snow, sun crust, and facets. Depth hoar and basal facets make up the base of the snowpack. Snow depth varies ranges from 60-170cm.

Weather Summary

Friday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: High -7 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 20 km/h gusting to 45 km/h.

Freezing level at valley bottom.

Saturday

Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries.

Accumulation: 4 cm.

Alpine temperature: Low -10 °C, High -6 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 40 km/h.

Freezing level: 1400 m.

Sunday

Periods of snow.

Accumulation: 5-10cm.

Alpine temperature: Low -14 °C, High -8 °C.

Ridge wind northeast: 10-25 km/h.

Freezing level at valley bottom.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.