Heavy rain in southern Yukon increases risk of washouts, landslides, Environment Canada says

Some parts of southern Yukon could be in for some heavy rain through Monday night, which could bring an increased risk of road washouts or landslides.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement, warning of "potentially hazardous conditions" in the southern part of the territory around Whitehorse, Teslin, Morley River, and Atlin, B.C. It says there could be 20 to 50 mm of rain on the way before easing Tuesday morning. 

"I would say it's a little bit unusual," said Bobby Sekhon, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada. 

"You know, it's not often that in the month of June that we get over 10 mm of precipitation in Whitehorse. It happens, on average, every couple of years."

The conditions are attributed to a cold low pressure system that's stalled over northwestern B.C., bringing rain and cooler temperatures.

Sekhon says it follows a stretch of very dry weather in the region. Last month was the second-driest May on record, he said.

Still, the Yukon has so far been spared from any major wildfires this year — unlike its neighbours the N.W.T., Alberta and B.C. Last week, the Yukon sent firefighters to help out in the N.W.T. and Alberta. 

The low pressure system is expected to move out of southern Yukon on Tuesday, and the rain will ease. The weather is then expected to warm in the following days, reaching the mid-20s in Whitehorse by Thursday.

Landslide risk  

Sekhon urged people to be cautious around rising creeks and rivers, and said there's also the potential for road washouts and landslides with the heavy rain on Monday. 

"We know that in Whitehorse we've had some impacts regarding that, so we know that when we do get heavy rainfall that kind of thing can happen," he said, referring to landslides seen on the Whitehorse escarpment again this spring.

"So it really depends how hard the rain comes down, and the rainfall rates and how much comes down, as well," he said.

On Sunday, the City of Whitehorse said there was another small slide on the escarpment at around noon that day. That prompted the city to again keep Robert Service Way and the Millenium Trail closed on Monday. 

A statement from the city on Sunday said a slope scanner had detected movement on the escarpment early Sunday morning, and "even greater acceleration late Sun aft."