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Avalanche Forecast

Mar 1st, 2013–Mar 2nd, 2013
Alpine
4: High
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high
Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be high
Below Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be considerable
Alpine
4: High
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be high
Treeline
4: High
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be high
Below Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be considerable
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be considerable
Below Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be moderate

Regions: Jasper.

Additional snow is expected overnight on Friday with another pulse to arrive on Saturday night.  Pay attention to overhead hazards and use conservative travel routes to avoid avalanche terrain.

Weather Forecast

The warm, heavy snowfall  combined with moderate to strong Southwest winds is expected to continue through the night bringing additional snow to the Icefields area. On Saturday, the snow eases up during the day and will increase again overnight. A cold front will follow sometime on Sunday with colder temperatures and clearing skies.

Snowpack Summary

Between 10 - 30cm of warm heavy snow has fallen across the region with heavier deposits South of the icefields. Strong Southwest winds will redistribute this snow onto lee aspects making another slab over the previous snow surface. These heavier slabs may provide sufficient load for a slide to step down into deeper weak layers.

Avalanche Summary

Visibility is presently obscured along Highway 93, but one avlanche could be heard around the rampart creek hostel area. At lower elevations up to 1600m numerous loose snow avalanches released along the Highway corridor south of the Columbia Icefields.  The heavy snow and possible rain may produce additional loose avalanches in the valley bottoms.

Confidence

Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain on Saturday

Avalanche Problems

Storm Slabs

The heavy snow combined with strong Southwest winds will build slabs on lee aspects.  These will be easy to trigger and will have enough load to perhaps step down into  deeper weak layers in the snowpack.
Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.

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

Elevations: All elevations.

Likelihood: Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 3