Avalanche forecast

Yukon

Feb 18 – 19, 2023Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Carefully assess the wind effect as well as new snow amounts as you move through terrain. Ongoing snowfall and southerly winds are adding to the wind slab problem.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely - Very Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Ongoing snowfall with southerly winds have continued to build reactive wind slabs on northerly aspects while cross loading others.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely - Possible
    Size
    2–3

    We continue to see periodic avalanches on a weak layer of surface hoar and facets buried about 100 cm deep. Resulting avalanches have propagated for hundreds of metres, with some being remotely triggered from hundreds of metres away. The common trend is that they are on north to east aspects around 1500 to 1700 m in elevation.

Avalanche Summary

No significant avalanches were reported in the last couple days. On Thursday our field team observed debris from a previous large persistent slab avalanche. At least once a week evidence of large persistent slab avalanches is reported. Keep this in mind when traveling in the backcountry.

Confidence

Moderate

Snowpack Summary

Southerly winds and ongoing snowfall continues to maintain the wind slab problem. Southerly slopes are generally scoured or wind pressed. In sheltered areas the above mentioned snow is still soft and likely makes for decent riding.

A hard melt-freeze crust that extends up to about 1700 m is now on the snow surface in wind-exposed terrain and otherwise buried about 50 to 80 cm in wind-loaded terrain. The crust appears to be bonding to the snowpack.

A weak layer of surface hoar and facets may be buried about 80 to 120 cm deep on north to east aspects in alpine and upper treeline elevations. The layer may rest on a harder melt-freeze crust. Where preserved, this layer has shown to have very high propagation potential and capable of producing large avalanches hundreds of metres wide.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with a few centimeters of new snow expected. Light southwest winds and a Low of -9 at 1500m.

Saturday

Cloudy with up to 10cm of new snow. Moderate to strong southwest winds and a high of -5 at 1500m.

Sunday

A few clouds and the possibility of light flurries bringing a few centimeters of new snow. Light to moderate southwest winds and a high of -6 at 1500m.

Monday

Cloudy with 5 to 10cm of new snow expected. Light northerly winds and a high of -14 at 1500m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
  • Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
  • The best and safest riding will be on slopes that have soft snow without any slab properties.
  • Remote triggering is a big concern, be aware of the potential for wide propagations and large, destructive avalanches at all elevations.

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