Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Apr 20 – 21, 2015Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 11 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Plan your trip to avoid overhead cornice hazards and finish early.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Cornices are large and will respond to Tuesday's warm temperatures. Stay well back from the edge while traveling along ridge lines. Pay attention to what is above and avoid cornice exposed slopes.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible - Likely
    Size
    1–2
    As temperatures warm up so does the potential for loose wet avalanches. It may be enough to trigger deeper basal layers on steeper unsupported slopes.

Weather Forecast

Tuesday will bring sun and warm temperatures. Freezing level will rise to 2700m or higher by noon and stay there for most of the day. The weather models conflict for Wednesday's precipitation amount yet we remain hopeful. Temperatures will drop and the skies will be overcast.

Snowpack Summary

Pockets of wind slab are present in the upper alpine from previous strong winds last week yet largely unreactive. At treeline, lee aspects have a series of windslabs sandwiched with thin weaknesses in the upper snowpack. A strong midpack bridges over weak basal facets on Northerly aspects at treeline and above.

Avalanche Summary

Cornice failures to size 2.5 have occurred around the Icefields area on North to East aspects. They did not initiate a slab on the slopes below. Intense solar radiation will likely increase the cornice falls and initiate afternoon wet loose avalanche conditions on Tuesday.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system is uncertain on Wednesday

Regions covered