Smart Ice Monitoring 2026
Summer Flood Forecast: The latest Yukon Snow Survey Bulletin & Water Supply Forecast says that the Upper Yukon River Basin snowpack affecting the Southern Lakes/Whitehorse is above normal by 203%, with thicker than normal ice on rivers and lakes in the region. Given the current above normal snowpack, most of the territory is expected to experience water levels (freshet volumes) ranging from above normal to well above normal this summer.
However, weather conditions over the spring and summer will determine the peak water level in Marsh Lake, which typically occurs in late summer in response to peak glacial runoff and large precipitation events. Lake Laberge water surface elevation is currently well below normal (Figure E2). Lake Laberge follows a similar summer pattern to the upper Southern Lakes and is expected to experience above normal water levels this summer.
Warm and/or wet weather will generate high runoff rates and peak flows, including in rivers and streams crossing the Alaska Highway, the North Klondike Highway and other roads in the Whitehorse area. Peak freshet for the Southern Lakes in the Yukon generally occurs in late May or early June.
However, in years with significant snowpack, high-elevation melt or heavy rainfall can delay the peak to late June or early July.
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