Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 25 – 26, 2013Parks Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 14 years ago

Avalanche danger

Wed
Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map

Highlights

Avalanche danger will increase through the day based on how intense the sun  will be and the warming temperatures.  Consider starting and ending your trips earlier in the day.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3
    Cornices will become increasingly prone to failure as the days get warmer.    A cornice failure could provide a heavy trigger for an avalanche on the slopes below.  Pay attention to what is above you and the temperatures during the day.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3
    This continues to be the main concern with last week's avalanche activity showing deeper slabs that  were sliding full depth on weak facets and in windloaded gully features on  predominantly Northeast through to Southeast aspects. 

Weather Forecast

No snow is expected in the next few days. There will be colder temperatures overnight and then steady daytime warming with the sunny days. By the weekend, daytime temperatures may reach the double digits. Winds will remain light from the Southwest to Northwest.

Snowpack Summary

A variable thick slab exists in alpine and treeline locations on a variety of aspects. It is over a strong midpack except in shallow locations where you could trigger basal facets or depth hoar weakness at the ground. Steeper South facing terrain has a suncrust 80cm down. Strong diurnal temperature fluctuations have helped stability.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were observed in the Portal and Whistler creek areas today.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain on Wednesday

Regions covered