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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 22nd, 2020–Feb 23rd, 2020

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Jasper.

There are dramatic differences in the snowpack from the Icefields to Whistler creek areas. Whistler area is significantly less supportive to skiers. A large avalanche was triggered by skiers on Feb 17. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully.

Weather Forecast

Sunday will be cloudy with scattered flurries, 4 cm of snow, -7 C., and light ridge wind gusting to 35 km/h. Monday will be cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, trace amount of snow, -14 to -10 C, and light Northwest winds.

Find the Alberta Rockies weather synopsis here: Mountain Weather Forecast

Snowpack Summary

Widespread hard slab on most surfaces treeline and above. Stripping any available snow from most windward alpine slopes and wind pressed or developing windslabs on lee aspects. Solar crusts on solar aspects up to 2500m. Cornice development on northerly aspects. The mid-pack is bridging the deep basal facets and depth hoar except in shallow areas.

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches reported from field team in the Circus valley near Portal creek on Friday. Maligne and Icefields patrol on Saturday noted nothing new.

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.