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Avalanche Forecast

Jan 31st, 2025–Feb 1st, 2025
Alpine
3: Considerable
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be considerable
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low
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
Alpine
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating in the alpine will be moderate
Treeline
2: Moderate
The avalanche danger rating at treeline will be moderate
Below Treeline
1: Low
The avalanche danger rating below treeline will be low

Regions: Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Jasper, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

Moderate winds will redistribute incoming snow into fresh reactive windslabs that should be assessed before entering terrain.

Once triggered, windslabs may initiate larger deep persistent slabs.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Several natural wind slab avalanches to size 2 as well as smaller loose dry avalanches were observed in the Icefields area on January 29th.

Snowpack Summary

Incoming snow is falling on a variety of surfaces depending on location, including melt freeze crusts, sun crusts, hard wind slabs, and soft faceted snow. These overlie a generally weak and faceted mid-pack. At the bottom of the snowpack are the early season crusts, which are faceting and surrounded by large depth hoar. The snowpack is 70-130 cm in depth at tree line, and thins quickly below.

Weather Summary

Friday

Flurries. Accumulation: 8 cm. Alpine temperature: High -7 °C. Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 40 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Saturday

Mainly cloudy with scattered flurries. Accumulation: 4 cm. Alpine temperature: Low -21 °C, High -8 °C. Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 50 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Sunday

Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Precipitation: Trace. Alpine temperature: Low -24 °C, High -18 °C. Ridge wind light to 15 km/h. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present in the snowpack.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Avalanche Problems

Wind Slabs

Snow falling with moderate southwest winds will form windslabs in lee features.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible - Likely

Expected Size: 1 - 2

Deep Persistent Slabs

A variety of crusts with facets above and below exist at the bottom of the snowpack. These layers are going to be with us for a long time and pose a low probability, high consequence situation if triggered.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood: Possible

Expected Size: 1 - 3