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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Apr 26th, 2019–Apr 27th, 2019

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.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Jasper.

Watch for reverse loading as the wind direction switches to the North late Saturday.

Weather Forecast

Parker Ridge:

Saturday: Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries. Treeline temperature: High -5 C.

Ridge wind north: 20 km/h gusting to 75 km/h.

Freezing level: 1500 metres.

Sunday : Flurries. Accumulation: 6 cm. Treeline temperature: Low -12 C, High -6 C.

Mostly light ridge wind occasionally gusting to 35 km/h.

Freezing level: 1600 metres.

Snowpack Summary

10cm of snow is forecast for Parker Ridge on Saturday. This new snow will overly several crusts / facet layers in the upper 40cm, and a faceted layer down 70cm on shady aspects. Watch for a switch in wind direction Saturday afternoon to the north. Windslabs can be expected on most aspects in the alpine.

Avalanche Summary

Recent signs of cornice failure and wind slabs in the high alpine.

Confidence

Timing, track, or intensity of incoming weather system 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.