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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 18th, 2019–Mar 19th, 2019

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.

Regions

Jasper.

Highway 93N and Maligne road remain closed for Avalanche Control. Check Alberta 511 for details and updates.Avoid avalanche terrain on solar aspects, where a natural avalanche cycle is underway.  Polar aspects are cooler, but activity is increasing.

Weather Forecast

In like a Lion! Spring is suddenly here in the Rockies and the damage to the snowpack is extensive. Very strong solar effect, with clear skies forecast all week.  Freezing levels will continue to rise; to over 3000m on Tuesday / Wednesday, slowly falling Thursday.  Light winds all week.  Treeline high was above +10 on Monday, and warmer expected...

Snowpack Summary

The snowpack remains dry on polar (shady) aspects, at treeline & alpine elevations. Elsewhere (solar aspects) it is quickly transitioning to Spring. Thin overnight crust recovery, breaking down quickly daily. Isothermal snowpack Below Treeline on solar aspects. As the snowpack warms, the Deep Persistent layers may become active on polar aspects.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous large (to size 2.5), Loose Wet avalanches observed on solar aspects at all elevations.  Several large (Size 2-3) Wet Slabs observed on solar slopes Monday (Natural at Alpine and Treeline elevations, and with explosives control Below Treeline).    Several small Loose Dry avalanches observed Monday in steep alpine terrain on NE aspects. 

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

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.

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.