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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 27th, 2023–Mar 28th, 2023

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

Tune in to the changing conditions of elevation, aspect, and time of day.

Be cautious in wind-affected terrain and avoid steep sun-exposed slopes and overhead hazard during periods of strong sun.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

On Sunday, sledders triggered several small (size 1) wind slabs with highmarks on southwest facing slopes and gullies in the alpine.

On Friday a few loose natural wet avalanches were reported on south aspects in the alpine. These avalanches occurred as a result of strong sun and were large (size 2).

If you head out in the backcountry, let us know what you are seeing by submitting a report to the Mountain Information Network.

Snowpack Summary

Strong northerly winds have created hard wind affected surfaces in alpine and exposed treeline terrain. In protected areas up to 30 cm of relatively undisturbed powder may exist. A sun crust exists on steep solar aspects in the alpine and all aspects but north at treeline.

Specific to Haines pass and below 1300 m the 50 cm of storm snow now has a stout and supportive melt freeze crust that has capped it. An additional 5 to 15 cm of new snow now overlies this melt freeze crust.

A buried weak layer of surface hoar can be found about 80 cm deep in Powder Valley, Tutshi, Paddy Peak and Haines pass areas, 150 to 200 cm around White Pass. This layer is most prominent on northerly slopes sheltered from the wind. On other aspects, this layer is a hard melt-freeze crust with weak facets around it. This layer has been most problematic in alpine terrain.

The remainder of the middle of the snowpack is consolidated and strong. Weak faceted grains are found near the base of the snowpack, particularly in thin snowpack areas.

Weather Summary

Monday night

Clear. Alpine temperatures drop to a low of -7 °C. Ridge wind light from the west. Freezing level at valley bottom.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -4 °C. Ridge wind 15-30 km/h from the northwest. Freezing level rises to 500 metres.

Wednesday

A mix of sun and cloud. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -4 °C. Ridge wind south 15-30 km/h. Freezing level rises to 500 metres.

Thursday

Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries. Alpine temperatures reach a high of -7 °C. Ridge wind 30-50 km/h from the south. Freezing level rises to 400 metres.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Look for signs of instability: whumphing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks, and recent avalanches.
  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

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.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.