Winds will redistribute any light snow accumulations onto lee aspects. Watch for soft slab development in terrain features in the Alpine and at treeline.
Weather Forecast
The forecast calls for light snow flurries with 5 - 10cm of accumulation on Tuesday night. The flurries will continue through to the end of the week. Surface winds will be light to moderate from the Southwest/ West while alpine ridgetop winds will be predominantly moderate to strong from the Northwest.
Snowpack Summary
Light snow flurries producing 3 - 5 cm accumulations throughout Jasper in the past 24 hours. No significant change to snowpack structure: windslabs in exposed lee features, faceted midpack at lower elevations, and poor travel with difficult trail-breaking below treeline.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed or reported today.
Confidence
Wind effect is extremely variable
Problems
Wind Slabs
Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.