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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 23rd, 2022–Jan 24th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Jasper.

The hazard has the potential to increase if the sun comes out and causes an unexpected rapid rise in temperature.

Weather Forecast

Monday will be sun, cloud, flurries, -7C, and light gusting 35km/hr West winds. Tuesday will be sun, cloud, no new snow, -11 to -7C, and light West winds. Wednesday will be very similar but slightly colder. 

Snowpack Summary

Treeline and below, the top 30-50cm is low to medium hardness. Above Treeline, a stiff windslab is the top 30cm layer. A crust with loose weak facets can be found at lower elevations approximately 40-60cm down. The mid-pack is medium to hard stiffness of mixed crystal forms except where loose barely supportive Facets dominate in shallow locations.

Avalanche Summary

Sunday's Icefield's patrol noted a low elevation wet loose surface avalanche cycle with numerous size 1's. Saturday's patrol observed one size 2 on a West aspect initiating mid-path. Surface snowballing also occurred along the low roadside paths. Maligne observed one size 2.5, persistent slab, 200m wide and 1m deep initiated by a cornice failure.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Monday

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.