Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 2nd, 2013 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs.

garth lemke, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Temperatures remain unseasonably warm. When the sun comes out, expect temperatures to spike and increasing the avalanche danger.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Sunday to Tuesday will be a mix of clouds, sun, and lite flurries. Temperatures will be slightly cooler on Sunday, warmer on Monday, then trending cooler after that. Freezing level will continue to hover around 1500m by mid-day.

Snowpack Summary

Hard wind slabs exist in exposed lee features yet appear to be bridging well. Mid-pack is faceted at lower elevations making for poor travel and difficult trail-breaking. Persistent hard slab and sastrugi widespread above treeline. Thin wind slabs are forming in immediate lee features with continuing moderate to strong SW to NW winds.

Avalanche Summary

Saturday had a couple loose sz 1's at valley bottom Coleman cliffs running to the highway shoulder. This was solar and warm air influenced. On Friday, a large cornice fell on 45+ degree east facing alpine slope and did not trigger any weakness. No other avalanches were observed on Friday's patrol Parkway, Whistler Creek and Maligne Road.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Problems

Wind Slabs

Hard windslabs may be triggered from thin snowpack areas. Thin wind slabs are forming in immediate lee areas above treeline with continued moderate to strong Southwest to Northwest winds.

Carefully evaluate and use caution around thin snowpack areas.Caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.

Aspects: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

1 - 2

Valid until: Feb 3rd, 2013 4:00PM