Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Possible
- Size
- 1–2.5
Extreme wind speeds may have formed windslabs lower in the terrain than is typical.
Avalanche forecast
View on mapJasper
Jan 30 – 31, 2025Avalanche Canada
Archived · expired 2 years ago
Avalanche danger
Sat
Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Highlights
Extreme wind speeds from the west are creating new wind slabs and difficult skiing conditions.
Avalanche problems
Deep Persistent Slabs
NNEESESSWWNW- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
- Likelihood
- Unlikely - Possible
- Size
- 1–3
A variety of crusts with facets above and below exist at the bottom of the snowpack. These layers are going to be with us for a long time and pose a low probability, high consequence situation if triggered.
Confidence
Moderate
Avalanche Summary
Several natural wind slab avalanches to size 2 as well as smaller loose dry avalanches were observed in the Icefields area on January 29th.
Snowpack Summary
A variety of surface conditions exist depending on location, including melt freeze crusts, sun crusts, hard wind slabs, and soft faceted snow. These overlie a generally weak and faceted mid-pack. At the bottom of the snowpack are the early season crusts, which are faceting and surrounded by large depth hoar. The snowpack is 70-130 cm in depth at tree line, and thins quickly below.
Weather Summary
Thursday
Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries.
Precipitation: Trace.
Alpine temperature: High -9 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 15-30 km/h.
Freezing level at valley bottom.
Friday
Cloudy with scattered flurries.
Accumulation: 5 cm.
Alpine temperature: Low -10 °C, High -7 °C.
Ridge wind southwest: 15-35 km/h.
Freezing level at valley bottom.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present in the snowpack.
- If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.