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GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Tue Mar 22, 2016

Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion

Today is a day of transition with new snow falling onto a variety of snow surfaces ranging from melt-freeze ice crusts to near-surface facets. On slopes that have a powdery surface, diurnal temperature fluctuations the past few days created a weak layer of facets in the top few inches of the snowpack. Big Sky Ski Patrol found this yesterday and I expect it on all slopes that are either high elevation or were shaded from the sun. On slopes that got baked by the sun, crusts formed. Some of these have facets on them too (melt-layer recrystallization).

Recent slab avalanche activity observed Sunday, 3/20, around Goose Lake (Cooke City) that likely ran in the last 48 hours. One photo is a SE aspect, the other a SW aspect.  Both about 10,000' in elevation. Photo: B. Fredlund


Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Mon Mar 21, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Tue Mar 22, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Mar 24, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Mar 25, 2016
Cooke City, 2016-03-21
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    • Recent slab avalanche activity observed Sunday, 3/20, around Goose Lake (Cooke City) that likely ran in the last 48 hours. One photo is a SE aspect, the other a SW aspect.  Both about 10,000' in elevation. Photo: B. Fredlund


    Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Mon Mar 21, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Wed Mar 23, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Mar 24, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Mar 25, 2016
    Cooke City, 2016-03-21
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    • A recent slab avalanche on an east-northeast aspect, around 10,000', on north Baronette Peak in YNP. Photo: B. Fredlund


    Forecast link: GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Sun Mar 20, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Mon Mar 21, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Tue Mar 22, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Advisory for Wed Mar 23, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Thu Mar 24, 2016GNFAC Avalanche Forecast for Fri Mar 25, 2016
    Cooke City, 2016-03-19
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