Yukon

Wind slabs continue to form in leeward terrain.

Pockets of buried surface hoar on north-facing slopes immediately below ridge crests could create surprisingly touchy conditions.

Moderate

• We are uncertain due to a highly variable snowpack.
• We are uncertain due to a limited number of field observations.

No new avalanche activity has been reported since Wednesday, when numerous loose wet or wet slab avalanches were reported on sun-exposed slopes near White Pass.

Last weekend, a wind slab avalanche was remotely triggered and surprisingly large due to surface hoar buried just below the recently formed wind slabs.

A variety of surfaces exist across aspects and elevations. Firm, supportive crusts are present at lower elevations and on sun-exposed slopes.

In higher-elevation terrain sheltered from sun and wind, 10 to 15 cm of recent snow overlies a mix of older, wind-affected surfaces.

A weak layer of surface hoar may persist 30 to 60 cm below the surface in northerly alpine terrain.

The lower snowpack remains faceted and generally weak, especially in shallow snowpack areas.

Friday Night
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 4 cm of snow. 50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy. 1 to 3 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -3 °C.

Sunday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 10 cm of snow. 40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

Monday
Mostly cloudy. 3 to 10 cm of snow. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. Freezing level 800 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Be careful with wind-loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and rollovers.
• Be aware of the potential for remote triggering and large avalanches due to buried surface hoar.
• Avoid steep, rocky, and wind-affected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.
• Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.