Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Jasper National Park
Gusting winds and 10cm pulse of snow Wednesday night into Thursday has potential to increase the hazard. Monitor these effects accordingly.
Avalanche Problem 1: Loose Dry
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be very cautious with gully features.
- Use caution above cliffs where small avalanches may have severe consequences.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Snow was redistributed into thin, spotty slabs in exposed areas. These slabs sit on freshly buried, weak facets and surface hoar in some areas.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets while approaching and climbing ice routes.
- Watch for surface cracking and stiffer surface layers of snow.
Avalanche Problem 3: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Isolated slab avalanches to size 2 were reported by field teams on Monday. They were triggered by loose snow avalanches from the cliffs above and solar input.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid shallow snowpack areas where triggering is more likely.
- Carefully evaluate big terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.
Avalanche Summary
No patrol on Tuesday and nothing new reported. Yesterday with sun and warm air, a pulse of natural loose dry point releases were observed. They were mostly out of steep, solar facing terrain.
Snowpack Summary
10-15cm of snow from Jan 10 has blown into thin slabs TL and above. Although the mid-pack Dec 15 layer is a concern but has not been reactive in test profiles nor has it been linked to any avalanche activity in the Jasper area, we are monitoring it closely. There is a distinct crust (Nov 17) in the lower third of the snowpack.
Weather Forecast
Wednesday will be cloudy with flurries, 5cm of snow, high of -4, 1600m freezing level, and 20-40km/hr SW winds. Thursday will be flurries and 10cm of snow, -4 to -10, 20 gusting 60 km/hr SW winds. Friday will bring clouds, sun, flurries, trace of new snow, -9 to -11 and 15-35 km/hr SW winds.
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Natural point release avalanches remain a concern particularly in terrain traps or confined gullies. Surface snow remains loosely consolidated and ripe for entraining snow if initiated. New snow next few days will add to this concern.