Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 14th, 2019 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is moderate, and the below treeline rating is moderate. Known problems include Deep Persistent Slabs and Cornices.

garth lemke, Parks Canada

Jasper.

Remember, moderate means human triggered avalanches possible. Heightened avalanche conditions exist on specific terrain thus evaluate snow and terrain carefully.

Summary

Weather Forecast

Friday will be flurries, 6cm of snow, high of -7, and light ridge winds. Saturday will be clouds, sun, and flurries, trace amounts of snow, lows of -25 and highs of -11 with light East winds. A detailed mountain weather forecast is available from Avalanche Canada.

Snowpack Summary

Some wind affect noted in the alpine and at tree line. Due to the recent cold temperatures there seems to be no slab over the persistent weakness sitting down 35-45cm (surface hoar, crusts, and/or facets). The bottom of the snowpack is structurally weak especially in shallow snowpack areas, consisting primarily of facets and depth hoar.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches on Thursday with good visibility. On Wednesday, one notable windslab in the alpine stepping down to ground. Loose dry avalanches up to size 2 have been naturally triggered in the facetting snowpack in steep shallow areas.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Friday

Problems

Deep Persistent Slabs

This problem could be triggered from shallow snowpack areas.

Be cautious in shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1.5 - 3.5

Cornices

Somewhat of a warm up over the next few days from the previous frigid temperatures could generate some cornice failures

Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger the deep persistent slab.Avoid travel on slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Valid until: Feb 15th, 2019 4:00PM