Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 24 – 25, 2022
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Archived · expired 5 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Fresh wind slabs at tree line and above still require careful assessment. As always in the spring, pay attention to how hot it's getting, and how strong the sun is.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Previous strong SW winds, with new snow, has formed wind slabs at TL and in the ALP. Treat these with caution and give them time to bond to the old surfaces.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    The significance of this problem will vary widely depending on aspect, elevation, and the time of day. Pay attention to how good the overnight freeze is, as well as how quickly things are warming up.

Weather Forecast

Friday: Cloudy with sunny periods. Nil Precip. High -3 C. Ridge wind southwest: 10-20 km/h. Freezing level: 1800 metres.

Saturday: Flurries 9 cm. Low -5 C, High -1 C. Mostly light ridge wind. Freezing level: 2100 metres.

Sunday: Flurries 10 cm. Low -3 C, High 0 C. Ridge wind southwest: 15 km/h gusting to 50 km/h. Freezing level: 2200 metres.

Snowpack Summary

5-10cm low density new snow, redistributed by strong SW winds, overlies yesterday's sun crust and melt-freeze crusts up to 2100m (1-10cm thick elevation dependent).

Snow pack below 1700m is either wet or refrozen depending on the time of day and the solar input.

Avalanche Summary

Over the last 48hrs there has been a widespread wet loose avalanche cycle mostly tree line and below off steep, rocky, and shallow features. Also several wind slabs up to size 2 have been noted in the alpine. One wet loose avalanche on Tuesday caused by rockfall on Polar Circus caught two climbers resulting in serious injures.

Confidence

Freezing levels are uncertain

Regions covered