Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 6th, 2026–Feb 9th, 2026

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Below Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

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

Warm afternoon temperatures may cause a wet loose problem, particularly on solar slopes.

Expect the hazard to rise as temperatures and solar input increases throughout the day.

Confidence

Avalanche Summary

Numerous wet loose avalanches to size 2 were observed on February 4 and 5th throughout Jasper National Park. Most occurred on solar aspects below treeline. Several wet loose avalanches were observed in the alpine on solar aspects.

Snowpack Summary

There is a melt freeze crust to mountaintop on solar aspects and to around treeline on polar aspects. A weak layer of surface hoar and facets is down ~10cm, which is most problematic in areas with wind loading.

In open areas, recent winds have redistributed the new snow into windslabs. The midpack is still supportive overlying basal facets at the bottom of the snowpack.

Weather Summary

Saturday

Cloudy with scattered flurries.

Accumulation: 5 cm in the evening.

Alpine temperature: High -4 °C.

Ridge wind southwest: 20 km/h gusting to 55 km/h.

Freezing level: 1700 metres.

Sunday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.

Precipitation: Trace.

Alpine temperature: Low -7 °C, High -5 °C.

Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 50 km/h.

Freezing level at valley bottom.

Monday

Cloudy with sunny periods.

Precipitation: Nil.

Alpine temperature: Low -10 °C, High -6 °C.

Ridge wind west: 10-30 km/h.

Freezing level at valley bottom.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Limit exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes, especially when the solar radiation is strong.
Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.

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.

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.