Watch for slabs formed by northerly winds. Cold exposure is also a major concern for backcountry travellers (read more in this blog).
Arctic outflows developed wind slabs on south-facing slopes. Slabs will become more stubborn to ridgers, but potentially more dense and cohesive if triggered.
The arrival of the arctic front on Wednesday resulted in a cycle of natural wind slab avalanches. The freshly formed wind slabs were also reactive to skiers, with whumpfs and shooting cracks reported by the Yukon Field Team.
Most surfaces are likely wind-affected after the passage of the arctic front, but you may still find pockets of soft snow in sheltered areas.
A layer of surface hoar that formed on Christmas Eve may be found 50 cm deep, but recent observations suggest it has bonded. Snowpack depths range from 80 to 200 cm, with local variations due to wind redistribution.
Thursday Night
Clear skies with no precipitation, alpine wind northeast up to 20 km/h, treeline temperature drops below -35 ºC.
Friday
Increasing cloud with no precipitation, alpine wind northwest 20-40 km/h, treeline temperature -30 ºC.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow, alpine wind southwest 40-60 km/h, treeline temperature -24ºC.
Sunday
Cloudy with up to 5 cm of snow, alpine wind southwest gusting to 80 km/h, treeline temperature -20ºC.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
