Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Jasper, Miette Lake.
Cornice failures on east aspects were triggering large avalanches on Friday. Watch for this to continue as long as the freezing level remains high.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
A field team went to Parker Ridge today. Significant large avalanche activity were observed mostly on east aspects as the result of falling cornices. Most of these avalanches were stepping down to ground.
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Snowpack Summary
5cm of new snow with strong to extreme SW winds in the alpine on Friday. Freezing levels around Parker Ridge were around 2200m likely creating moist snow on the surface. A layer of surface hoar and facets is down 20-40cm in sheltered areas. Large facets and depth hoar comprise the bottom portion of the snowpack. Snowpack depths vary from 50-100cm.
Weather Summary
Saturday
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.
Precipitation: Trace.
Alpine temperature: High -3 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 10-25 km/h.
Freezing level: 1800 metres.
Sunday
Cloudy with sunny periods.
Precipitation: Nil.
Alpine temperature: Low -10 °C, High -6 °C.
Light ridge wind.
Freezing level at valley bottom.
Detailed weather forecasts from Avalanche Canada: https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Make conservative terrain choices and avoid overhead hazard.
- Storm snow and wind is forming touchy slabs. Use caution in lee areas in the alpine and treeline.
- Caution around slopes that are exposed to cornices overhead.
Avalanche Problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
The bottom of the snow pack is inherently weak with well developed Facets and Depth Hoar. Avalanches initiating in the upper snowpack are likely to step down to this layer and gain significant mass.
Aspects: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1.5 - 3
Wind Slabs
Winds and new snow creating wind slabs in lee features
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 2
Cornices
Rising freezing levels were resulting in cornice failures on Friday. These cornices were triggering large avalanches.
Aspects: North East, East, South East.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible - Likely
Expected Size: 1.5 - 2.5