Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Jasper National Park
If you find signs of reactivity in the persistent slab share your findings on the MIN, it could save someone else from getting surprised...
Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Carefully evaluate terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.
- Avoid steep convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Expect natural avalanche activity during periods of rain.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Avoid exposure to terrain traps where the consequences of a small avalanche could be serious.
Avalanche Problem 3: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Moderate south west winds in the alpine continue to build fresh pockets of wind slab.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- If triggered the wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
- Use caution in lee and cross-loaded terrain near ridge crests.
Avalanche Summary
We received a report of large slab avalanche on Monday in the North bowl of Whistler peak. It was remotely triggered from the ridgetop and failed as a size 2.5 persistent slab (suspect Mar 15th interface), 60cm deep by 75m wide, which ran down to treeline. Some size 1 moist surface sluffing was noted on steep solar aspects on Sunday.
Snowpack Summary
Fresh wind slabs continue to build in high alpine areas. In the upper snowpack a 25 to 80 cm thick slab bridges the March 15th persistent weak layer (facets on polar, sun crust on solar). Recent warming has promoted rounding in the upper snowpack, however the mid and lower snowpack remain weak and facetted from this winters prolonged cold periods.
Weather Forecast
A series of weak fronts pass over the Park under a SW flow, bringing warm unsettled weather with some precipitation.
Tuesday we will see sunny breaks in the morning, followed by flurries in the afternoon/evening (up to 7 cm snow/rain below 2100m). Alpine temps will be a low of -7C, high 0C. Ridge winds will be light (gusting strong) from the SW.
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Persistent slabs sitting on facets on Northerly aspects continue to show isolated signs of reactivity. Travel on large Northerly features at treeline and in the alpine is not recommended.