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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 31st, 2024–Feb 1st, 2024

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.

Regions

Glacier.

Human triggering will be likely until the snowpack has refrozen

Warm weather and widespread avalanches have left difficult and hazardous backcountry travel conditions

Confidence

High

Avalanche Summary

A large natural avalanche cycle was observed on all aspects and elevations lasting from Sunday until Tuesday morning with some avalanches running full path and many gouging deeply in confined gullies. Recent avalanche control within and adjacent to the park produced numerous large avalanches up to size 3.5, some showing wide propagation.

A remote trigger adjacent to the west end of Glacier NP resulted in a sz 3.5 running from the Alpine to valley bottom.

Snowpack Summary

The recent warm weather and rain has left the upper snowpack wet and weak making for difficult and hazardous travel at all elevations/aspects.

A sun crust (Jan 3), down 60-80cm, can be found at and below Tree-line on S-SW aspects. Recent avalanches have been stepping down to this layer and deeper within confined gullies.

The Dec 1 surface hoar layer, down ~120cm, is decomposing.

Weather Summary

The warm weather will linger for another day or two before temperatures and freezing levels gradually lower into the weekend.

Thurs: Cloudy with isolated showers or flurries. High 3°C. Winds S light. FZL 2500m.

Fri: Cloudy with isolated flurries. High 1°C. FZL 2100m.

Sat: Cloudy with scattered flurries. High -3°C. FZL 1500m

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • The more the snowpack warms-up and weakens, the more conservative you`ll want to be with your terrain selection.
  • Be mindful that deep instabilities are still present and have produced recent large avalanches.

Problems

Wet Slabs

Wet Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) that is generally moist or wet when the flow of liquid water weakens the bond between the slab and the surface below (snow or ground). They often occur during prolonged warming events and/or rain-on-snow events. Wet Slabs can be very unpredictable and destructive.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.