Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Regions
Jasper.
New snow available for transport may be enough to overload existing and lingering instabilities. Read, and share conditions in the region. Write a trip report about your day on Avalanche Canada's Mountain Information Network
Weather Forecast
Arctic air remained entrenched over the Prairies for Friday. Light winds shifting to the SW have brought a warmer, moist air mass into the bulletin region. Saturday morning is forecasted for some light flurries with total snowfall of 6cm for the day. Freezing level rising to 2300m and seasonally warm temps; alpine temp 1c.
Snowpack Summary
Recent snow has been blown in to an isolated wind slab up to 30cm thick. This has added to the previous slab sitting on a sun-crust on solar aspects and facets on polar aspects - these are now buried as deep as 60cm. Underneath the variable slab in the upper snowpack, as well as in shallow areas, the snowpack is generally facetted and weak.
Avalanche Summary
Read, and share conditions in the region. Write a trip report on your day on Avalanche Canada's Mountain Information NetworkActive cornice failures reported earlier in the week have triggered persistent slabs below ridge-tops. Good travel and riding conditions through the bulletin region.
Confidence
Intensity of incoming weather systems is uncertain 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.
Cornices
Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.