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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 14th, 2022–Jan 15th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Jasper.

Weak facets below new snow and wind slabs are making for dangerous avalanche conditions. Conservative terrain choices advised through the weekend.

Icefields Parkway and Maligne Lake road remain closed for maintenance - AB511 for up to date info.

Weather Forecast

Saturday: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Temp High -5 C. Wind SW 20 gust 65 km/h. FZL valley bottom

Sunday: Scattered flurries up to 5cm. Temps: Low -9 C, High -6 C. Wind W 20 km/h. FZL valley bottom

Monday: Flurries up to 7cm. Temp: Low -13 C, High -3 C. Wind W 20 gust 65 km/h. Freezing level 1600m.

Snowpack Summary

New snow with strong SW are creating wind effect and building wind slabs on leeward slopes. These winds slabs are are not bonding well with the previously faceted surface. The mid snowpack is faceted with the December persistent weak layers buried 40-70cm. Basal facets and depth hoar can be found at the base of snowpack.

Avalanche Summary

Several large wind slabs, persistent slabs and loose dry avalanches initiated all asp and elev with explosive control on the Icefields Parkway and Maligne road on Thursday. Road clearing ongoing and will take time for both roads to be passable. Many avalanches picked up and entrained much of our faceted mid pack especially at tree line and below.

Confidence

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.

Loose Dry

Loose Dry avalanches are the release of dry unconsolidated snow and typically occur within layers of soft snow near the surface of the snowpack. These avalanches start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-dry avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs.

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.