Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Apr 29 – 30, 2014Parks Canada
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Archived · expired 12 years ago

Avalanche danger

Thu
Fri
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

SIGNIFICANT WARMING TREND over the next 48 hours with freezing levels rising to 3500m and staying there (ie. poor overnight freeze) until Friday. Keep an eye on the temperatures and plan to be out of avalanche terrain early in the day.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Cornices are big and looming and will weaken significantly over the next 3 days.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–3
    Expect loose wet avalanches as we receive the warmest temperatures of the spring over the next 48 hours.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–3
    Full depth avalanches are probable over the next 48 hours as the snowpack becomes weaker with rapid warming. Cornices may trigger deeper instabilities.

Weather Forecast

SIGNIFICANT WARMING TREND over the next 48 hours with freezing levels rising to 3500m and staying there (i.e. poor overnight freeze) until Friday. Over the weekend we expect cooler temps and a shift to a North Easterly flow which has the potential to bring up to 10mm of precipitation falling as rain below 2300m. 

Snowpack Summary

There is rain crust from the valley bottom to 2,350m and a sun crust into Alpine on solar aspects.  We expect a widespread natural avalanche cycle over the next 48 hours as temperatures rise and the crusts deteriorate.  This has the potential to produce large, full depth avalanches on all aspects.

Avalanche Summary

Several loose wet size 2 noted on Mt sask at 2100-2500m stopping before the river. One size 2 loose wet off boundary peak. Cornice failure peak across sunwapta station E aspect initiated nothing. Isolated loose wet activity in the Maligne Valley on solar aspects.

Confidence

Timing or intensity of solar radiation is uncertain

Regions covered