Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park
Wind slabs remain sensitive to human triggering in isolated areas. Use caution on steep solar aspects where multiple crusts are buried by a settling persistent slab.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use caution in lee areas. Recent wind loading has created wind slabs.
- Watch for whumpfing, hollow sounds, and shooting cracks.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
70-90cm of settled snow sits on the mid March crust/facet combo. In recent tests this layer fails suddenly and has showed potential for wide propagation if triggered. Avoid convexities and thin snowpack areas on solar aspects.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be aware of the potential for wide propagations which could result in large avalanches.
- Avoid convexities or areas with a thin or variable snowpack.
Avalanche Summary
Several natural avalanches sz 2-2.5 yesterday morning out of the MacDonald Gullies 5, 9, 10 & 12.
A reported sz 2.0 ski cut out of Nikki's Notch yesterday, see report here.
Reports of whumphing and cracking in the settling storm snow and fresh windslab continues.
Cornices are large, avoid lingering below them or venturing out onto them.
Snowpack Summary
A light dusting of snow yesterday brings the weekly settled storm snow to 60cm. Previous strong North alpine winds have loaded lee features. Storm snow is settling into a cohesive slab on a buried crust/facet layer down 70-90 and showing sudden test results. This crust exists on East-South-West aspects and most reactive around tree line.
Weather Forecast
Sun for the morning then cloud and snow for the afternoon with 5-10cm by Friday evening. Easterly winds 10-20km/hr with an alpine high of -5 and valley bottom rising above +2 as the freezing level rises to 1500m today. Slightly warmer temperatures and a pulse of precipitation forecasted for the weekend.
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Previous strong and variable winds have blown available snow around and loaded lee features tree line and above. While these slabs are fresh they will be susceptible to human triggering, especially in steep, unsupported terrain or with solar heating.