Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Tutshi, Wheaton, White Pass East, White Pass West, Yukon.
Be wary of wind-loaded, steep, northeasterly alpine terrain, where buried surface hoar may linger.
Check out this MIN report from the Avalanche Canada field team on Friday.
Confidence
High
Avalanche Summary
On Friday, the Avalanche Canada field team remote triggered a large, wind slab avalanche on a Northeast, alpine slope. Check out more details and photos in their Mountain Information Network report. A few similarly sized natural avalanches were observed on nearby slopes of similar aspect and elevation.
Snowpack Summary
In alpine terrain, recent winds have created a variety of wind-affected surfaces. Wind slabs remain in steep, lee terrain features and may be burying isolated pockets of preserved surface hoar. The surface hoar is reported to be roughly 50 to 80 cm down from the surface. Below roughly 1700 m a widespread, melt-freeze crust is present, with moist snow below.
Weather Summary
Saturday night
Clear, with no precipitation. Light northwesterly alpine winds, with stronger outflows in valleys. Treeline temperatures -15 to -20 C.
Sunday
Sunny, with no precipitation. Light southwest alpine winds, with light outflows in valleys. Treeline temperatures -10 to -20 C with potential for a temperature inversion.
Monday
Cloudy, with flurries, 0 to 2 cm. Light to moderate westerly alpine winds. Treeline temperatures -5 to -10 C.
Tuesday
Cloudy, with flurries, 0 to 2 cm. Light southwest alpine winds. Treeline temperatures -5 to -10 C.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
Terrain and Travel Advice
- Carefully assess open slopes and convex rolls where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
- Carefully evaluate steep lines for wind slabs.
Avalanche Problems
Wind Slabs
Be wary of isolated pockets of surface hoar buried by stiff wind slabs, in exposed northeasterly alpine terrain. Recent avalanches have shown an impressive capability to propagate long distances.
Aspects: North, North East, East, North West.
Elevations: Alpine.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1.5 - 3