Avalanche Forecast

Issued: Feb 20th, 2024 4:00PM

The alpine rating is moderate, the treeline rating is low, and the below treeline rating is low. Known problems include Wind Slabs, Persistent Slabs and Deep Persistent Slabs.

MW, Avalanche Canada

Jasper, Brazeau, Churchill, Cirrus-Wilson, Fryatt, Icefields, Maligne, Marmot, Miette Lake, Pyramid.

Be on the lookout for wind slab development throughout the week and avoid shallow areas where the February 3rd crust is starting to deteriorate.

Summary

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanche activity reported on the Icefields Parkway or Maligne Lake Road today.

Snowpack Summary

A dusting of new snow sits over a sun crust on solar aspects. The Feb 3rd crust is down 15-30cm and is 1-3cm thick in the alpine. On shaded aspects, the Feb 3rd crust exists up to 2500m and it is starting to break down. On solar aspects this crust extends up to 2800m and it is 15-20cm thick at lower elevations. The Persistent and Deep Persistent weak layers continue to produce whoomphing and sudden fractures in tests.

Weather Summary

The Mountain Weather Forecast is available at Avalanche Canada https://avalanche.ca/weather/forecast

Stable weather for the next three days. Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries and trace precipitation. Alpine temperature from -4 to -10Â°C. Ridge wind SW 10-25 km/h Wednesday and Thursday with gusts up to 45km/h on Friday. Freezing level 1800m on Wednesday dropping to valley bottom by Friday.

Terrain and Travel Advice

Avoid shallow snowpack areas, rock outcroppings and steep convex terrain where triggering is most likely.
Minimize exposure to overhead avalanche terrain, large avalanches may reach the end of runout zones.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind slabs are starting to develop at ridgetop. Winds will increase throughout the forecast period making this problem more reactive later in the week.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine.

Likelihood

Unlikely - Possible

Expected Size

1 - 2

Persistent Slabs

This weak layer is buried 20-40cm deep. Human triggering remains possible, particularly in shallow rocky start zones.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Unlikely

Expected Size

1 - 2.5

Deep Persistent Slabs

The base of the snowpack is inherently weak and untrustworthy. Human and natural triggering of these basal facets remains possible.

Aspects: All aspects.

Elevations: Alpine, Treeline.

Likelihood

Possible

Expected Size

1 - 3

Valid until: Feb 21st, 2024 4:00PM