Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 16 – 17, 2021
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Archived · expired 6 years ago

Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The Icefields Parkway is closed for avalanche control, with an anticipated opening of Thursday March 18th. Check 511 Alberta for updates.

Continue to pay attention to rising temperatures and solar radiation which can increase the avalanche hazard.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5

    Cornices failures have been observed and are triggering avalanches on the Feb 20th FC layer.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5

    Weak facets buried on Feb 20th. It is prudent to keep this on your radar with warmer temperatures as reactivity may increase. Cornices will have the potential to fail and trigger slabs below.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Watch out for solar heating (sun) and daytime warming to trigger avalanches, especially from steep rocky terrain.

Weather Forecast

Wednesday: A mix of sun and cloud. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: Low -9 C, High -6 C. Ridge wind southwest: 10km/h. Freezing level: 1400m.

Thursday: Mainly cloudy. Precipitation: Nil. Alpine temperature: Low -10 C, High -3 C. Ridge wind southwest: 15-35 km/h. Freezing level: 1800 m.

Snowpack Summary

Sunny skies and warm temperatures have created crusts and moist snow on all aspects at tree line and below and into the alpine on solar aspects. There is widespread wind scouring to rock in exposed alpine features. The middle of the snowpack is supportive in deep areas but weak in shallow spots.

Avalanche Summary

Loose wet avalanches continue to occur on East through West aspects. 3 size 2.5 avalanches were observed on North to Northeast aspects in the alpine, triggered by cornice releases and stepping down to the February persistent weak layer.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain

Regions covered