Avalanche forecast

Jasper

Mar 18 – 19, 2017Parks Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
4 · High
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Highlights

Check Alberta 511 for projected opening times and date for the Icefields Parkway (93N).

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    2–3
    40cm of storm snow over the week has formed a dangerous windslab. Wide crowns up to 2m deep have been seen from Maligne to Parkers area. Strong to extreme SW winds and warm temps will keep this layer very active.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1–3
    Rain to treeline and warm temperatures will produce numerous avalanches of this type. Some of these will step down to ground producing full path releases.

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    2–4
    The widespread observations of large and deep avalanches indicates strongly that many of these events are from this instability. Increased loading and warm temperatures will keep this layer active.

Weather Forecast

Snow forecast to taper off, tracking northward from the Icefields through Jasper over the evening. The likely HST total expected to be close to 20cm as the storm breaks. Scattered flurries and moderate to strong gusty SW winds to mark the exit of the snow. Scattered flurries and broken skies fx for Sunday. Cooler expected, high of -12 alpine temps.

Snowpack Summary

+50cm HST this month redistributed with Mod SW winds. Deeply loaded (100+ cm) lee areas with unpredictable spacial variability. Buried localized solar, rain and melt-freeze crusts, up to 2000+m on S and 1600m in the N asp. New snow weakly bridging a faceted older snow pack. Morphing interfaces scattered, at depth through the midpack to ground.

Avalanche Summary

Numerous large natural avalanches (class 3) were observed from the Maligne area to the icefelds at Tree Line and above. These slab avalanches are failing at varied depths; from recent storm snow to deeper older instabilities. Warm temperatures and precipitation will keep the landscape dangerously active.

Confidence

Regions covered