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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 14th, 2022–Jan 15th, 2022

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

Regions

Yukon.

Choose terrain that is sheltered from the recent south wind, and avoid steep slopes that have a crust on the surface. Be patient in your snow hunt, and you should be able to find some fun:)

Confidence

Low - Uncertainty is due to the limited number of field observations. Uncertainty is due to how the snowpack will react to the forecast weather. Uncertainty is due to how quickly the snowpack will recover and gain strength.

Weather Forecast

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. 0-5 cm of snow expected. Moderate to strong southeast wind, trending to light by the morning. Freezing level dropping to valley bottom.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Possible trace of snow expected. Light southwest wind becoming moderate in the afternoon. Treeline high around -3 °C. 

Sunday: Partly cloudy. 0-5 cm of snow expected. Moderate south wind trending to southwest at higher elevations. Treeline high around -7 °C. 

Monday: Scattered clouds. Possible trace of snow expected. Light northwest wind. Treeline high around - 10 °C, cooling through the day.

Avalanche Summary

Avalanche danger is expected to decrease as the snow tapers off, and temperatures decrease, but pockets of windslab could still be reactive to human triggers. Watch for signs of instability as you travel. 

Remember that a lack of observed avalanches does not necessarily mean that there is a lack of avalanche activity. If you are getting out in the backcountry, and have conditions information, or even just good vibes and good photos to share, consider making a post on the Mountain Information Network (MIN). 

Snowpack Summary

Less snow arrived in the White Pass area on Friday than was originally forecasted, only 5-10 cm with moderate south wind. This likely formed thin windslabs, overlying 30-50cm of rapidly settling recent storm snow that fell on very firm surfaces.

Yesterday, below 1000 m, the upper snowpack was becoming upside down due to warm temperatures. As temperatures cool again, snow that was moist may become a breakable crust, making for challenging riding.

In open, wind exposed terrain at treeline, a spotty rime crust was reported on Wednesday. Riding quality has been improving since the extreme wind event but thinly buried hazards still exist in exposed areas. These hazards include rocks and waves of sastrugi. 

Check out here and here for the two most recent Mountain Information Network (MIN) posts from the field team for more details on recent snow conditions. 

Terrain and Travel

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
  • Even a small avalanche can be harmful if it pushes you into an obstacle or a terrain trap.
  • Carefully monitor the bond between the new snow and old surface.
  • Keep in mind the crust offers an excellent bed surface for avalanches.

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.