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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Feb 17th, 2021–Feb 19th, 2021

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

Regions

Yukon.

Stormy conditions are returning to the region. New snow likely won't bond well to the surfaces beneath it, requiring a conservative mindset.

Confidence

Moderate - Uncertainty is due to the track & intensity of the incoming weather system.

Weather Forecast

WEDNESDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 2 to 5 cm, 40 km/h southwest wind, alpine temperature -9 C.

THURSDAY: Cloudy with light snowfall, accumulation 2 to 5 cm, 30 km/h south wind, alpine temperature -7 C.

FRIDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 10 to 20 cm, 40 to 50 km/h south wind, alpine temperature -6 C.

SATURDAY: Cloudy with snowfall, accumulation 5 to 15 cm, 50 km/h south wind, alpine temperature -10 C.

Avalanche Summary

No recent avalanche observations were noted. Avalanche activity is expected to increase as new snow and strong wind impact the region. As the snow accumulates, dialing back your terrain choices is the prudent choice.

Snowpack Summary

Stormy conditions return to the region on Thursday and into the weekend. The snow is forecast to fall with strong south wind, which should rapidly form new wind slabs in exposed terrain. As the snow accumulates into Friday, widespread storm slabs are expected to develop. The snow will overly heavily wind affected and faceted surfaces in exposed terrain and perhaps a weak layer of surface hoar in sheltered areas, as found here.

The lower snowpack is strong around White Pass, but inland areas like the Wheaton Valley likely have a thinner and weaker structure.

Terrain and Travel

  • Watch for avalanche hazard to increase throughout the day.
  • Wind slabs are most reactive during their formation.
  • Closely monitor how the new snow is bonding to the old surface.
  • Be aware of the potential for larger than expected storm slabs due to the presence of buried surface hoar.
  • Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 20 cm of new snow.

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.