Yukon

Wind slabs are the main concern, however there is potential for persistent slab avalanches in the eastern portions of White Pass. Back off if you encounter whumpfing or shooting cracks.

On the weekend, a snowmobiler remotely triggered a size 2 avalanche from 200 m away on a southeast aspect at 1500 m in the southeastern portion of the White Pass area. The fracture was approximately 50 cm deep See this MIN report for more details.

There have also been reports of a few wind slab avalanches up to size 1.5 releasing naturally on northerly aspects in White Pass.

20-40 cm of recent new snow sits on a melt-freeze crust on solar slopes, hard wind-affected snow, or facets and surface hoar on shady slopes.

Reports from the eastern portion of the White Pass area indicate a surface hoar layer 30-50 cm below the surface that has been reactive in snowpack tests.

A weak layer of facets sitting on a crust that formed in early December is buried 60 to 150 cm deep on all aspects up to 1750 m. This layer has not produced recent avalanche activity or test results and is not currently a concern.

Snow depth varies from 100 cm at highway elevations to over 200 cm in the alpine.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy. 10 to 20 km/h east ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

Wednesday

Mix of sun and cloud. 20 to 40 km/h northeast ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -6 °C.

Thursday

Mix of sun and cloud. 10 to 20 km/h southeast wind. Treeline temperature -7 °C.

Friday

Mix of sun and cloud. 5 to 15 km/h southeast wind. Treeline temperature -8 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

• Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
• Avoid freshly wind-loaded terrain features.
• Approach steep and open slopes at and below treeline cautiously, as buried surface hoar may exist.