Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 28th, 2026–Jan 29th, 2026

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, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Alpine

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Treeline

Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Below Treeline

Below Threshold.

Regions

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

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.

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.

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.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.