19-20

<p>Last night, 8-13” of snow fell from the Bridger Range to Lionhead measuring .6-.8” of <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/or/snow/?cid=nrcs142p2… water equivalent</a>, aka 6% powder. This is on top of the 8-10” that fell yesterday in the northern ranges. And the wind is blowing with gusts of 40 mph at the ridgetops that is loading slopes on many aspects.</p>

<p>The avalanche story is simple: New snow and wind yesterday, last night and today are creating dangerous avalanche conditions. If there is visibility, which there isn’t, you would see natural avalanches breaking on wind-loaded slopes. And if you get on a steep slope you’ll likely trigger and get buried in an avalanche.</p>

<p>I am basing today’s elevated danger on the fact the snowstorm is near guaranteed to continue. Wind-loaded slopes should be avoided at all costs and every steep slope is untrustworthy. Avalanches will occur in the new snow and some slopes will break far and wide at the ground. Today is a day to avoid avalanche terrain. The danger is rated HIGH.</p>

<p>One key factor in determining today’s danger is our assessment of stability before the storm. Yesterday, Dave and Ian were in the northern Gallatin Range on Wheeler Mountain and found a weak snowpack that will struggle with the weight of new snow (<strong><a href="https://youtu.be/GRc5Q2pB1Bo">video</a></strong&gt;). Our field visits to Hebgen Lake (<u><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/mOgWbF5FXhQ">video</a></strong></u&gt;), Buck Ridge (<u><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/DzBa5RGCwU8">video</a></strong></u&gt;) and Mt. Ellis (<u><strong><a href="https://youtu.be/HgnRrFSl3eU">video</a></strong></u&gt;) showed similar concerns: weak snow at the ground will break with a large load of new snow.</p>

<p>Since the storm started 30 hours ago Cooke City has gotten 8” of snow (.5” <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/or/snow/?cid=nrcs142p2… water equivalent</a>) with moderate wind. A skier was able to get small cracks on wind-loaded slopes yesterday. The avalanche danger has risen with last night’s and today’s forecasted snowfall. Winds are blowing northerly at 15 mph and loading slopes where it is likely you could trigger a slide. On slopes not wind-loaded it’s possible a skier or sledder could trigger an avalanche in the new snow. Furthermore, Cooke City has a layer of weak snow at the ground that is not readily avalanching, but still could. If this layer breaks the avalanche would be large and lethal. Do not get too confident as you tour around in a snowstorm with poor visibility. For today the avalanche danger is rated CONSIDERABLE on all wind-loaded slopes and MODERATE elsewhere.</p>

<p>If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can fill out an&nbsp;<u><strong><a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation">observation form</a></strong></u>, email us (<u><strong><a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com">mtavalanche@gmail.com</a></strong></u&gt;), leave a VM at 406-587-6984, or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>