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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 4th, 2020–Jan 5th, 2020

Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural and human triggered avalanches likely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Jasper.

ICEFIELDS HIGHWAY WILL BE CLOSED SATURDAY AND POTENTIALLY OPENING SUNDAY EVENING FROM ATHABASCA FALLS TO SASKATCHEWAN CROSSING FOR AVALANCHE CONTROL. Check 511.alberta.ca for updates.

Weather Forecast

Sunday will be flurries, 8 cm of snow, -11, and Southwest winds 20 km/h gusting to 55 km/h. Monday will be cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries, trace snow, Low -18 C, High -15 C, and West winds 15 km/h gusting to 65 km/h.

Visit CAA's Mountain Weather Forecast for more specific details.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 50cm of snow has fallen in the past 72 hours. Buried surface hoar is present up to 2200m in sheltered areas. Moderate SSW winds continue to create wind slabs on lee features at treeline and above. The bottom of the snowpack consists of well developed facets, depth hoar, and decomposing crusts. The bottom is weak.

Avalanche Summary

Highway 93 was closed today for avalanche control on Sunday. Some natural activity was noted up to size 3 out of steep alpine features, however limited observations today given the weather. Test pit showed sudden collapse results within the basal weakness. Maligne lake road patrol today observed sluffing up to size 1.5 out of steep extreme slopes.

Confidence

Wind effect is extremely variable

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.

Deep Persistent Slabs

Deep Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a thick cohesive layer of hard snow (a slab), when the bond breaks between the slab and an underlying persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack. The most common persistent weak layers involved in deep, persistent slabs are depth hoar or facets surrounding a deeply buried crust. Deep Persistent Slabs are typically hard to trigger, are very destructive and dangerous due to the large mass of snow involved, and can persist for months once developed. They are often triggered from areas where the snow is shallow and weak, and are particularly difficult to forecast for and manage.

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.