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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

May 7th, 2021–May 8th, 2021

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

Yukon.

Avalanche danger could vary with elevation. Care should be taken around cornices and in steeper or more extreme terrain. 

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to difficult to forecast freezing levels.

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT: alpine low -2, wind south 25km/h, cloudy, trace precipitation

SATURDAY: alpine low -2, wind south 20km/h, cloudy, 5-10cm new snow in the alpine

SUNDAY: alpine low -2, wind south 10km/h, mostly cloudy, 5cm new snow in the alpine

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported by the public or our field team this week. 

Snowpack Summary

We have received regular small inputs of snow in the alpine above 1600m this week. Some of this snow has likely been blown into wind slabs in specific terrain features such as directly behind ridge line or in more extreme terrain. Below 1600m the upper snowpack is isothermal, moist, and mushy. 

The lower snowpack in White Pass is deep for this time of year with no layers of concern. Areas further inland, such as the Wheaton Valley, may have a shallower and weaker snowpack.

Cornices are still very large. Recent cool temperatures have kept cornice failures to a minimum but they should always be treated with respect in the spring, especially when the air temperature rises.

Terrain and Travel

  • Avoid exposure to slopes that have cornices overhead.
  • Firm cornices can pull back into flat terrain at ridgetop if they fail.
  • Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.
  • Keep in mind that wet avalanches can be destructive due to their high density.
  • Watch for wind-loaded pockets especially around ridgecrest and in extreme terrain.

Problems

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.