Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park
Be cautious with new storm slabs in the avalanche start zones that could be triggered by solar radiation and cornices today and run to valley bottom.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm 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.
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche Problem 2: Cornices
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Cornices are hard to predict and have been sporadically failing in the park triggering avalanches to size 2.5. New snow, wind and temperature increases are a great recipe for cornice triggered avalanches.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Pay attention to overhead hazards like cornices which could easily trigger deep slabs.
- Avoid slopes when the solar radiation is strong, especially if they have large cornices overhead.
Avalanche Summary
A storm with strong winds and rapid snow loading produced a cycle of avalanches up to size 3.5 yesterday. Many smaller avalanches were observed running on top of a crust down 30-70cm (depending on local wind effect) and should be expected to continue to be a possibility today especially with strong sunshine in the forecast.
Snowpack Summary
20cm fell overnight bringing the weekly storm snow total to 80cm. Strong southerly winds redistributed the new snow with increased loading on lee features. Storm snow is settling into a cohesive slab on a buried crust down about 30 to 70cm on all aspects up to 2000m, and higher on solar aspects. Surface snow was moist below 1500m yesterday.
Weather Forecast
Sunny today with the freeze line rising to 1000m elevation. Precipitation resumes on sunday with 9cm snow.
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With the help of strong south winds, the storm snow is forming into a cohesive slab. The slab sits on a variety of surfaces including a widespread crust below tree line, a crust on solar aspects, and isolated pockets of surface hoar on polar aspects.