On a June day when much of the province was experiencing heavy rain, the western part of Alberta awoke to a different kind of precipitation. Wet and dense snow, in significant amounts, fell on Monday in Jasper, along Highway 93 south to Banff, and on Highway 40 north of the Yellowhead near Grande Cache.
According to Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, a developing low-pressure system over the central portion of the province on Sunday brought in cold air aloft, resulting in heavy showers in the west-central areas, including Yellowhead County, Jasper, Grande Cache, Hinton, and even extending to the B.C. border.
In Jasper National Park, both rain and snow fell on Monday. Marmot Basin Ski Resort received a thick layer of snow, nearly a foot deep, covering the ground and patio furniture at the lower chalet. While snow on the mountaintops is not uncommon, seeing it reach the valley during the summer months is quite unusual. Parks Canada recorded over 100 mm of rain and 55 cm of snow in some areas on Monday.
Parks Canada issued a bulletin on Tuesday, urging people to contact them if they hadn’t heard from friends or family members traveling in Jasper. They provided contact numbers for reporting backcountry campers or motorists who had not reached their destinations, requesting individuals to call Parks Canada Dispatch or the RCMP.
Parks Canada conducted rescue operations on Monday, bringing approximately 60 people to safety, including hikers on the Skyline trail, paddlers on Maligne Lake, and passengers from two tour buses stuck on Maligne Road. The stranded passengers were transferred back down the road after a plow cleared a path for them. While no significant injuries were reported, some campers required assistance after their tents collapsed under the weight of the wet, heavy snow.
Dave Argument, a resource conservation manager with Parks Canada, emphasized the importance of carrying emergency communication equipment in such situations. Parks Canada announced that Maligne Road would remain closed for 48 to 72 hours to allow for avalanche mitigation and debris removal. Cavell Road opening was delayed, and a section of the road to Miette Hot Springs was temporarily closed due to damage. The agency expected to have the Miette Road open for single-lane traffic by 7 p.m. Tuesday.
The unseasonal heavy snowfall caused several trees to fall in Jasper National Park and the municipality of Jasper. Parks Canada deployed chainsaw crews to clear the roads and trails. Later in the day, the snow in Jasper turned into rain.
On Monday, a significant snowfall also affected Highway 40 north of Hinton near Grande Cache. Slippery roads. Snowfall warnings issued on Monday remained in effect on Tuesday for Highway 93 from Jasper to Saskatchewan River Crossing and then on to Lake Louise.
Given the challenging conditions, people were advised to postpone non-essential travel on the Icefields Parkway until the weather improved. Visibility could be suddenly reduced, and caution was urged for those considering driving in the area.
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