Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 23rd, 2024–Apr 24th, 2024

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

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

Even with cloud cover, it's best to avoid sun-exposed slopes during the heat of the day.

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

Monday's Icefield patrol had great visibility. No new avalanches were observed from 1100 to 1300hrs. Sunday's Maligne-Bald Hills patrol noted no new avalanches but visibility was limited to below mountain tops.

Snowpack Summary

A surface crust exists up to 2200m all aspects. 5-10cm dry snow sits on a supportive crust that exist up to 2600m on all aspects, and to mountain top on solar slopes. Strong upper and mid-pack, supportive to skis and boots. Lower snowpack consists of basal depth hoar.

Weather Summary

Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada

Wednesday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Ridge wind southwest: 15-35 km/h. Freezing level: 2300m.

Thursday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 40 km/h. Freezing level: 2100m.

Friday

Flurries (12 cm). Ridge wind east: 10-25 km/h. Freezing level: 2200m.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid steep slopes when air temperatures are warm, or solar radiation is strong.
Cornices become weak with daytime heating.
Avoid travelling on slopes below cornices.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.