Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 11 – 12, 2018Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 9 years ago

Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Warm and SunnyAn early start, caution, and avoidance during the heat of the day is essential for safe travel in avalanche terrain right now.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    A cold, facetting, and structurally weak snowpack overlies faceted crystals (well developed in shallow areas).

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2
    Late afternoon problem in steep, solar rocky terrain. Also found to be entraining the surrounding, facetted snowpack and will build up volume and speed quickly.

Weather Forecast

Glorious diurnal swings in temperatures making it positively spring like in the mountains this weekend. For Sunday, freezing levels cresting to 2100m with sun and little wind. More of the same leading into the week with strong solar effect and continued, rising freezing levels up to 3000m by mid week.

Snowpack Summary

Melt freeze, spring-like cycle beginning in ernest TL and below. Moist surface snow on steep, solar aspects. Less so in the Alpine where freezing levels (up to 2100m) and cooling winds are keeping the surface dry. Facetting has weakened the upr. snowpack in isolated, shaded areas through the forecast region. Wind effect in open areas in ALP and TL.

Avalanche Summary

Report of Avalanche on Polar Circus

Confidence

The weather pattern is stable

Regions covered