Avalanche Forecast
Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park
Variable spring weather makes for rapidly changing affects on the surface storm slab. Take the time to monitor surface layer bonds to underlying crusts.
Avalanche Problem 1: Storm Slabs
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
Travel and Terrain Advice
- The new snow will require several days to settle and stabilize.
- Make observations and assess conditions continually as you travel.
Avalanche Problem 2: Loose Wet
What Elevation?
Which Slopes?
Chances of Avalanches?
Expected Size?
The forecast calls for cloudy with sunny periods. If the sun does decide to make an appearance today solar radiation may initiate loose wet slides on steeper Southerly aspects. Rain possible later today will also destabilize surface layers.
Travel and Terrain Advice
- Minimize exposure to steep, sun exposed slopes when the solar radiation is strong.
Avalanche Summary
A couple size 2.5 avalanches off of steep terrain on Mt MacDonald paths yesterday. Thin storm snow natural slides to size 1 were observed in the backcountry. Ski cuts at treeline on a NE aspect yesterday produced surface slabs to size 1 down to the underlying crust. These slides were sluggish and only released where pushed with no propagation.
Snowpack Summary
6cm overnight and over 30cm in the last 72hrs. The main pulse of snow was accompanied by strong S'ly winds. Storm snow sits on a supportive crust between 1500-2000m. Below 1500m the crust becomes thin & unsupportive. Higher elevations expect 30-50cm dry snow with isolated wind slabs. The Mar 15 crust complex down 70-90cm on solar aspects.
Weather Forecast
Cloudy with sunny periods and isolated flurries and light ridge top winds from the SW. Possibility of rain this afternoon with freezing levels rising to somewhere in the 1500-2000m range depending what forecast you trust. Monday another pulse of moisture should bring us upwards of 15cm and a freezing level of 1800m.
Avalanche Forecasts in your Inbox
Avalanche Canada has switched to an RSS feed for its daily forecasts. This is a much more flexible method that allows automatic delivery to your email inbox, or to an RSS reader of your choice.
What are RSS feeds?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a popular standardized file format allowing up-to-date delivery of web-based content. RSS feeds enable you to receive content updates from websites, delivered to your email through an RSS aggregator (such as blogtrottr.com) or viewed through applications called RSS readers (such as feedly.com).
Set up an RSS feed for your email:
Select a RSS aggregator
- Avalanche Bulletin - Glacier National Park URL:
http://www.avalanche.ca/api/forecasts/glacier.rss - Copy the url and paste it into the appropriate field of your RSS aggregator.
- Fill in your email address.
- Voila! Watch the Avalanche Canada forecast roll into your inbox.
Forecast Disclaimer
Avalanche Canada's Public Avalanche Bulletin, and other information and services provided by Avalanche Canada, are intended for personal and recreational purposes only.
**THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISCOMFORT, INJURY, OR DEATH, CLAIMS BY THIRD PARTIES OR FOR OTHER SIMILAR COSTS, OR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION.**
The user acknowledges that it is impossible to accurately predict natural events such as avalanches in every instance, and uses the data in this bulletin with this always foremost in mind. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and the Providers disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use the data.
Over 30cm in last 48hrs initially accompanied by strong to extreme winds has created widespread storm slabs on all aspects at Treeline and in the Alpine. Expect the strong winds to have scoured S aspects & created firm windslabs on N facing terrain.