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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 12th, 2023–Mar 13th, 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, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Below Threshold.

Regions

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

Don't let relatively clear skies encourage you into big terrain features. The persistent weak layer continues to be a concern at alpine elevations, where wind slabs also exist.

Keep these problems in mind as you plan your travels.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches were reported on Saturday but observations are limited.

On Friday several recent size 2 wind slabs were observed in the Paddy Peak area. Observers noted active wind transport still occurring with snow available for transport.

On Tuesday, a size 2.5 persistent slab avalanche was remotely triggered by skiers on a ridgetop in the alpine. The slab propagated widely on a thin, rocky southeast aspect and it stepped down to basal facets lower on the slope.

Snowpack Summary

Moderate to strong winds from the north and northeast continue to scour exposed terrain, creating waves of sastrugi, and forming wind slabs on southerly aspects. Areas north of White Pass have more loose snow available for transport. Sheltered terrain in side valleys to the east and west of White Pass still may also hold softer snow for riding.

The middle of the snowpack is very firm and settled. There is a surface hoar layer buried from 60 cm (in Powder Valley, Tutshi, Paddy Peak) to 120 cm (White Pass) deep in sheltered, mostly north facing terrain features. On other aspects this layer exists as a crust and facets. Natural and human triggered avalanches have occurred on these layers recently and it remains a concern in alpine terrain.

At the base of the snowpack large sugary crystals persist.

Weather Summary

Sunday Night

Cloudy with trace amounts of new snow possible. Light northeast winds and a low of -19°C at 1500 m.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light to Moderate northeast winds and a high of -16°C at 1500 m.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud with the possibility of light flurries bringing trace amounts of new snow. Light northeast winds and a high of -14°C at 1500 m.

Wednesday

Mostly cloudy with around 5 cm of new snow expected. Moderate southeast winds and a high of -10°C at 1500 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be careful with wind slabs, especially in steep, unsupported and/or convex terrain features.
  • If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.
  • Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
  • 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.

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.