Avalanche forecast

Yukon

May 7 – 8, 2021Avalanche Canada
View on map
Archived · expired 5 years ago

Avalanche danger

Sun
Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
No rating
Open full map

Highlights

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

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    Cornices are large at this time of season. Best practice is to stay well-back from them on ridgelines and limit your exposure travelling beneath them.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Assess for the wetness of the snow surface as you travel, particularly as you transition from alpine to treeline elevations later in the day. Use caution in very steep terrain if the snow surface is wet, and limit your overhead exposure on steep slopes.

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.

Regions covered