Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 1st, 2025–Jan 2nd, 2025

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

Regions

Yukon, Tutshi, Wheaton, White Pass East, White Pass West.

Use extra caution on wind-loaded terrain features where a slab has formed over a crust. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully before entering high-consequence slopes

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Tuesday, our field team noted a natural size 2 slab avalanche on a north aspect at 1300m. (See photo below). The slab was 20-30 cm deep and failed on facets above a crust, which is the weak layer described in the snowpack summary below.

Reports have been limited, if you head out in the mountains, please consider sharing your observations on the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

The primary layer of concern is a layer of weak, facetted, snow that overlies a crust. In most areas, it is buried 20 to 30 cm deep, and extends up to 1750 m. Wind slabs are expected to be more reactive where they have formed over this weak layer.

Further inland regions such as Powder Valley and Mt.Tutshi have less snow, and may also have a weak layer of surface hoar on this crust.

Despite the presence of faceted grains in the lower snowpack, there are no current layers of concern below the crust. 

Snowpack depths range from about 70 to 180 cm.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night

Clear. 10 to 20 km/h east ridgetop winds. Inversion; valley bottom -15 °C, alpine -10 °C

Thursday

Sunny. 15 to 20 km/h ridgetop south winds. Inversion; valley bottom temperature -20 °C, alpine -12°C,

Friday

A mix of sun and cloud. 20 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -25 °C.

Saturday

Mostly cloudy, with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 30 to 40 km/h south ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -25 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Keep in mind a buried crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction, so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Pay attention to the wind; once it starts to blow, sensitive wind slabs are likely to form.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.