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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 22nd, 2020–Jan 23rd, 2020

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.

Lingering thick and hard wind slabs are now obscured by low density new snow. A slow accumulation of new snow toward the end of the week combined with southerly winds will promote fresh wind slab development.

Confidence

Moderate - Forecast snowfall amounts are uncertain. Uncertainty is due to the extreme variability of wind effect on the snowpack.

Weather Forecast

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Mainly cloudy with isolated flurries, light to moderate wind from the southwest, alpine high temperatures around -10 C.

THURSDAY: Cloudy with scattered flurries, accumulation 2-5 cm, moderate wind from the southwest, alpine high temperatures around -9 C.

FRIDAY: Flurries, accumulation 5-15 cm, light to moderate wind from the south, alpine high temperatures around -8 C.

SATURDAY: Scattered flurries, accumulation 5 cm, light wind from the south, alpine high temperatures around -11 C.

Avalanche Summary

There have been no reports of avalanche activity in the past few days.

Snowpack Summary

10-15 cm of new snow may now obscuring widespread wind effect from last week when the wind ravaged the surface snow, stripping away snow in exposed terrain and depositing it in lee terrain features. Lingering buried hard wind slabs may still be found. The prolonged cold temperatures have faceted the upper snowpack and there has even been some surface hoar that possibly had a chance to develop in the trees. Snow depths at White Pass average around 150 cm; deeper locations (higher terrain west of the highway) have as much as 200 cm. It's reasonable to expect a thin snowpack with sugary facets in the Wheaton Valley, although we don't yet have observations to confirm this.

Terrain and Travel

  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Watch for areas of hard wind slab on alpine features.
  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.
  • Recent wind has varied in direction so watch for wind slabs on all aspects.
  • Avoid slopes that sound hollow or drum-like.

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.