Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park
A reactive persistent weak layer of surface hoar down 40cm resides below surface layers. Take time to evaluate the snowpack as you transition into avalanche terrain.
Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.
- Use conservative route selection, choose moderate angled and supported terrain with low consequence.
Avalanche Problem 2: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Mod gusting to strong N-NE winds Tuesday formed reverse loaded windslab in wind exposed areas at and above treeline. These slabs may have surface hoar or crust underneath leading them to be sensitive to human triggering.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Keep an eye out for reverse loading created by N-NE winds earlier in the week.
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking.
Avalanche Summary
6 natural avalanches to size 2.5 off the north face of Mt MacDonald before control yesterday. Avalanche control east of Rogers Pass summit produced avalanches up to size 3 with most slides in the size 2 range. These slides were confined to the recent dry storm snow running far and fast. Slides lost momentum where they ran into old avalanche debris.
Snowpack Summary
40cm of storm snow sits on top of the Dec 15 surface hoar/persistent weak layer. On steeper solar aspects this layer is a crust and/or a crust with small surface hoar on top. The crust runs well up into the alpine on steep south aspects. Deeper in the pack there are a series of crust layers that are currently well bonded to neighboring layers.
Weather Forecast
Mainly cloudy today with flurries and light SW wind. Alpine temperatures should reach -11C. Sunny with cloudy periods through the weekend with daytime highs in the -15 to -17C range and light northerly winds.
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Recent storm snow is shifting into a settled persistent slab. Expect the slab to be increasingly sensitivity as you transition into wind effected terrain. Steeper solar slopes harbor a thin crust layer below slab and a facet surface hoar combo BTL.