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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 22nd, 2022–Jan 23rd, 2022

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

Regions

Jasper.

Decent tree skiing can be found at Bald hills. Watch for spooky hollow sounding wind slabs as indications of potential unstable conditions.

Weather Forecast

Sunday will be clouds and sun, -6C, light to moderate West winds, and valley bottom freezing level. Expect Monday to be similar with -9 to -6C and light winds. Tuesday could have flurries, -13 to -7C, and light winds. Wednesday will be sun with clouds and -14C.

Snowpack Summary

Treeline and below, the top 30-50cm is low to medium hardness. Above Treeline a pencil windslab is the top 30cm layer. The mid-pack is medium to hard stiffness of mixed crystal forms. The bottom 30cm is relatively dense facets with DH right at ground. The snowpack appears to be bridging previous weak layers yet expect spatial variability.

Avalanche Summary

Saturday's Icefield's patrol noted one size 2 to the South of Churchill slide path on a West aspect. It initiated mid-path and ran to the bottom. Surface snowballing also occurred at low roadside paths. Maligne observed on size 2.5, persistent slab, 200m wide and 1m deep initiated by a cornice failure. Visibility was excellent in both areas.

Confidence

Due to the number and quality of field observations on Saturday

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.