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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 28th, 2020–Mar 2nd, 2020

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

Regions

Yukon.

Sunny and cold on Saturday, then very stormy. Watch for impact from the sun and recently-formed slabs on Saturday. Best to avoid avalanche terrain and travel very conservatively during periods of intense wind and snowfall thereafter.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the track & intensity of the incoming weather system.

Weather Forecast

FRIDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 2 to 5 cm, light northwest wind, alpine temperature -12 C.

SATURDAY: Clear skies, light west wind, alpine temperature -15 C.

SUNDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10 to 20 cm, strong southwest wind, alpine temperature -8 C.

MONDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10 to 15 cm, moderate to strong southwest wind, alpine temperature -8 C.

Avalanche Summary

There have not been recent observations of avalanches. Watch for small avalanches out of steep, sun-exposed terrain during clear conditions on Saturday. Avalanche activity is expected to increase on Sunday and Monday as the winds howl, rapidly transporting all the recent soft snow.

Snowpack Summary

Around 30 to 50 cm of snow fell in the past few days. This snow will likely remain soft and loose in sheltered terrain but have some slab properties in wind-exposed terrain due to recent southwest wind. The snow may further settle on sun-exposed slopes on Saturday under clear skies. The wind will howl on Sunday and Monday, along with 10 to 20 cm of snow each day. Wind slabs will quickly form.

At White Pass the snowpack is roughly 200 cm thick with a strong mid and lower snowpack. Thin snowpack areas to the east of White Pass may have a lower snowpack composed of sugary faceted grains, capped by a breakable melt-freeze crust and wind-affected snow.

Terrain and Travel

  • Minimize exposure to sun-exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
  • Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow and wind.
  • Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.
  • Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.

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.