Avalanche forecast

Yukon

Jan 29 – 30, 2026Avalanche Canada
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Sun
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
No rating
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Highlights

Analyze wind loading patterns to move around pockets of new wind slab. If you travel above the elevation of the crust, use conservative terrain to manage the persistent layers lurking below.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Rounds of flurries with elevated winds are forming new wind slabs that will likely be reactive to human triggering.

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    A weak layer of facets may be found a variable 70 to 200 cm deep. In shallower inland areas, weak depth hoar exists to ground. If you don't find a supportive crust under our new snow, these layers may be triggerable.

Confidence

High

  • We are confident that there are persistent slabs in the snowpack, but uncertain about how likely they are to trigger.
  • We are uncertain about forecast snowfall amounts.

Avalanche Summary

No avalanches have been reported since before January 16, but new snow and wind have been working to change that. Observations are still limited, so be sure to post yours to the MIN if you get out!

Snowpack Summary

Another 5 to 10 cm of new snow should fall by Thursday morning, bringing storm totals to a wind-redistributed 15 to 30 cm, favouring the White Pass area.

This snow has buried heavily wind-affected surfaces in most areas but also a crust (up to 10 cm thick) below 1300 m and on south aspects. Surface hoar is preserved in sheltered features at all elevations and will certainly promote reactivity where slabs form over it.

A weak layer of facets is buried a variable 70 to 200 cm deep and continues to produce hard but sudden test results. This is a concern at higher elevations where the crust is thin or absent and in shallower snowpack areas, where additionally, the bottom half of the snowpack is composed of weak depth hoar.

Weather Summary

Wednesday Night
Mostly cloudy with flurries bringing 5 to 10 cm of new snow. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level falling to 700 m.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy with isolated flurries. 40 km/h south ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

Friday
Mostly cloudy with scattered flurries and minimal accumulation 20 to 40 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Saturday
Becoming partly cloudy. Scattered flurries adding up to 2 to 4 cm of new snow, including overnight. 20 to 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind, easing over the day. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Avoid shallow, rocky areas where the snowpack transitions from thick to thin.

Regions covered