Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park
Recent moderate winds formed pockets of wind slab in the Alpine and exposed Tree Line areas. Human triggering of avalanches remains likely.
High quality riding/skiing found in sheltered areas Tree Line and below.
Avalanche Problem 1: Wind Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Use conservative route selection, choose moderate angled and supported terrain with low consequence.
- If triggered the storm/wind slabs may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Persistent weak layers present a lower likelihood / high consequence scenario with the Jan 16th, 4th and Dec 15th surface hoar layers. These layers could be sensitive to human triggering in thin areas, or overloads from wind slab avalanches.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be aware of the potential for wide propagations.
- Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls at treeline where buried surface hoar may be preserved.
Avalanche Summary
Several natural avalanches size 2 observed along the highway.
Test results showing the Jan 16 surface hoar (5-10mm) down ~60cm, fails suddenly and has a high propagation potential, which could result in large avalanches.
No reports of avalanche activity in the backcountry. If you see anything, please submit a Mountain Information Network (MIN) report
Snowpack Summary
50cm of settling storm snow with 150cm of snow accumulation over the past two weeks. Expect to find pockets of wind slab along ridge lines and lee features due to the previous south winds in the Alpine. The Jan 16 surface hoar is down ~60cm, Jan 4 down ~80cm and Dec 15 down ~1m+ making for a complex sandwich of weak layers.
Weather Forecast
Cloud with snow flurries for the day, up to 7cm of snow accumulation. Alpine high of -7, winds from the southeast 15-40km/hr. An atmospheric river has taken aim on the south coast and will push inland tomorrow afternoon and 'believe it or not', is forecasted to deliver over 65mm of precipitation by Tuesday... that could mean 70-100cm of snow!
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Previous moderate southerly winds have redistributed storm snow into pockets of wind slab. The slab will be most sensitive in lee areas at ridge line and exposed areas at tree line. If triggered, the slab could step down to deeper weak layers.