Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park
With new snow and warmer temperatures, the snowpack is entering a time of change. Expect buried layers to become more reactive in the coming days.
Avalanche Problem 1: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Carefully evaluate terrain features by digging and testing on adjacent, safe slopes.
- Watch for signs of instability such as whumpfing, or cracking.
Avalanche Summary
No new avalanches were observed yesterday in the highway corridor. A field team on Macdonald West Shoulder was able to ski cut 2 small slabs on the December 15 Surface Hoar Layer in steep, unsupported terrain.
Snowpack Summary
The Dec 15th surface hoar is the main layer of concern. Reports of whumphing, cracking and small slides around tree-line can be attributed to this layer. Slab development has been slow with the past cold, but warming temps and solar input will contribute to slab development over the Dec 15th layer. A thin crust has formed on solar aspects.
Weather Forecast
Flurries and freezing rain at lower elevations as the first in a series of coastal fronts arrives this afternoon. Freezing levels spike at 1800m today and then drop off again as a SW flow brings up to 30cm of new snow by Monday. Light SW winds, gusty at times. Here's hoping the forecasted system has the strength to keep the arctic air at bay.
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The December 15 surface hoar layer is widespread around treeline and buried 60cm. Cold temps have kept the slab from settling and gaining cohesion; however, this is expected to change as temperatures rise and new snow load is added.