6:15 AM Update: Today is a good day to avoid avalanche terrain; natural avalanches are expected.
A layer of facets over a crust buried 60 to 90 cm deep and if triggered will likely produce large avalanches. As new storm snow accumulates, storm slabs may trigger and step down to the weak layer.
Heavy snowfall will continue to develop storm slabs. Expect the deepest deposits on leeward aspect terrain.
We expect natural avalanche activity during today's storm.
On Friday large and very large (size 2-3) natural and explosive-triggered avalanches were observed along the Klondike highway corridor.
On Wednesday and Thursday our field team observed size 1-2 storm slab avalanches and experienced whumpfing. See photo below.
Check out this MIN report from last week.
Up to 70 cm of snow fell in the alpine last week and up to 30 cm more is forecast until Thursday afternoon. Rain is expected below around 1000 m. Most of the snowfall occurred near White Pass, with significantly less in the Wheaton and Tutshi areas. All this storm snow may bond slowly, as it rests on a base of weak facets and, in some isolated areas, on surface hoar.
A persistent weak layer consisting of a crust with 20 cm of facetted snow above it is buried 60 to 90 cm, and extends up to 1700 m. Some storm slabs last week stepped down to this crust, triggering large avalanches.
Total snow depths are around 100–180 cm at treeline.
Monday Night
Cloudy with snow beginning in the evening 10 to 25 cm. 60 to 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C.
Tuesday
Cloudy with snow 5 to 15 cm, with precipitation amounts becoming less the further you go inland. 50 to 80 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy with afternoon clearing. 20 to 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -10 °C.
Thursday
Clearing. 20 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -15 °C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
