Avalanche Forecast

Archived

May 5th, 2024–May 6th, 2024

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

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

Overhead hazards such as cornices should be on your radar.Warm temperatures are gradually penetrating the snowpack. The combination with the new snow arriving on Monday has a potential to awaken deeper instabilities.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Icefields parkway patrol noticed several small loose wet natural avalanches on all aspects and at all elevations.

Jasper Visitor Safety received a second hand report of a very large slab avalanche, triggered by a cornice fall on Friday. This avalanche took place in steep glaciated terrain near Columbia Icefields and scrubbed to glacial ice with crown as deep as a few meters.

Snowpack Summary

Last weeks snow melting away below tree line and amalgamating with old snow elsewhere due to warm temperatures. Below, cornucopia of crusts up to 2600m, all aspects, and mountain top on solar aspects. Average height of snow 50-100cm. Below tree line is below threshold.

Weather Summary

Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada

Monday: Flurries. Accumulation: 7 cm. Alpine temperature: High 0 °C. Ridge wind west: 15-25 km/h. Freezing level: 2300 metres.

Terrain and Travel Advice

The likelihood of deep persistent slab avalanches will increase with each day of warm weather.
Minimize your exposure time 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.

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.