Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Jasper.
Natural activity is tapering off but potential for human triggered avalanches remains. There is a lot of uncertainty in the current snowpack. If avalanches don't get you, the freezing cold will!
Weather Forecast
Sunday will be mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, trace snow, -18 C, and light East winds. Monday will be cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, trace snow, low -33 C and high -26 C with light ridge wind.
Visit CAA's Mountain Weather Forecast for more specific details.
Snowpack Summary
The area received 60cm new snow January 1-7. SW winds created wind slab on lee aspects and cross-loaded features the alpine and treeline. This overlies surface hoar up to 2000m in sheltered areas as well as buried wind slabs on lee features at treeline and above. The bottom of the snowpack consists of depth hoar and facets.
Avalanche Summary
A Saturday road patrol observed a new sz 2.5 wind slab that went to ground at treeline in a wind prone area as well as a sz 3 in the Parker Slabs area. A widespread avalanche cycle up to size 3 occurred a few days ago on all aspects and elevations on wind slab, dry loose and deep persistent slab.
Confidence
The weather pattern is stable
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Avalanche activity has tapered off but human triggered avalanches are still likely.
- If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
- Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 3
Deep Persistent Slabs
On Wednesday, numerous avalanches were observed throughout the region that failed to ground. Activity has tapered off but may be waiting for the human trigger.
- Be aware of thin areas that may propogate to deeper instabilites.
- Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 3
Loose Dry
Caution in steep gullies and terrain traps where a small sluff could have major consequences. Avoid terrain where this problem could initiate slab avalanches on deeper layers.
- Watch for terrain traps where small amounts of snow will acumulate into deep deposits.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Unlikely - Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 2