Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park
Strong winds and heavy snowfall overnight will mean a spike in avalanche activity today. Expect to find touchy storm slabs and naturals reaching the bottom of runouts
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Be careful with wind loaded pockets, especially near ridge crests and roll-overs.
- Use caution on open slopes and convex rolls
Avalanche Problem 2: Persistent Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Natural avalanche activity will increase today with forecasted new snow and ongoing winds. The Jan 16th, 4th and Dec 15th surface hoar layers are buried deep, but avalanches in the storm snow can step down and trigger these weak interfaces.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger the deep persistent slab.
- Minimize overhead exposure; avalanches may reach the end of run out zones.
Avalanche Summary
Rapid loading from heavy snowfall yesterday triggered a natural avalanche cycle to size 3.0, these were running well into runouts. Field teams observed a touchy 15 cm storm slab at treeline & below aswell.
An Avalanche Canada MIN report has an excellent description and photos of a large avalanche that occurred in Loop Brook during the 18-01-29.
Snowpack Summary
25cm of new snow overnight brings our weekly total to over 1 meter. Strong South winds will have created a reactive windslab in the alpine. A meter and a half of settling snow sits over the Jan 16th surface hoar layer. This is the uppermost PWL and is still distinct and easy to pick out on pit walls.
Weather Forecast
Today there will be a brief lull between storms. We'll have a mostly cloudy day with some sunny breaks. Ridge winds will be from the West at 25 km/hr, gusting to 75!! and freezing levels climbing to 1400m. The next shot of precip looks to arrive Sunday, bringing another 10-15cm.
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Ongoing heavy snowfall has created a storm slab. Strong to extreme South winds will have redistributed new snow into a touchy windslab in the Alpine & at Treeline. If triggered, the slab could step down to deeper persistent weak layers.