Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Apr 19 – 20, 2015Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 11 years ago

Avalanche danger

Tue
Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

Temperatures and solar radiation will  steadily increase the avalanche danger through the day on Monday and Tuesday. Start early and finish early.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Natural cornice failures are being observed daily. Pay attention to what is above you and avoid cornice exposed slopes.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2
    As temperatures warm up so does the potential for loose wet avalanches. It may be enough to trigger deeper basal layers increasing the consequences.

Weather Forecast

Monday and Tuesday will be progressively warmer. We expect good recovery on Monday night, but temperatures will continue to warm on Tuesday with the freezing level staying around 2400m into Wednesday. The weather is expected to deteriorate by Wednesday afternoon bringing some light precipitation with the warm temperatures.

Snowpack Summary

Pockets of wind slab are present in the upper alpine from previous strong winds last week. At treeline, lee aspects have a series of windslabs layered with thin weaknesses in the upper snowpack. A strong midpack bridges over weak basal facets on Northerly aspects at treeline and above.

Avalanche Summary

Several natural cornice failures to size 2.5 noted in the icefields area on North and Easterly aspects. Intense solar radiation will likely increase the cornice falls and initiate afternoon wet loose avalanche conditions in the next few days.

Confidence

Timing of incoming weather systems is uncertain on Wednesday

Regions covered