Good morning. This is Doug Chabot with the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Advisory issued on Saturday, April 6 at 7:30 a.m. Cooke City Motorsports and Yamaha, in partnership with the Friends of the Avalanche Center, sponsor today’s advisory. This advisory does not apply to operating ski areas.
During the last 12 hours mountain temperatures finally dropped below freezing. Currently, under cloudy skies, temperatures are in the mid to upper 20s with west winds blowing 15-20 mph. Rain and wet snow fell yesterday, with snowfall amounts dependent on elevation. The Bridger Range had a rain/snow mixture while above 9,000 feet four to six inches fell around Big Sky, Cooke City and West Yellowstone. Today will be mostly cloudy with temperatures rising into the 40s and westerly winds blowing 20 mph. Intermittent snow showers will drop 1-2 inches by morning.
Bridger Range Madison Range Gallatin Range
Lionhead area near West Yellowstone Cooke City
Yesterday it rained in the valleys and snowed above 8-9,000 feet. The snowfall measured up to15% density and stuck well to the old snow surface, which was beginning to re-freeze. This is very good news because cold temperatures will continue to penetrate and cement the snowpack creating generally safe avalanche conditions.
Mark dismantled the weather station in Cooke City yesterday. Along the way he found stable conditions and surprisingly good skiing and riding on six inches of snow. The snowpack was freezing and formed a surface crust which the new snowfall stuck to. A few loose, wet snow avalanches may be spotted today, but slab avalanches are unlikely. Throughout southwest Montana, the avalanche danger is rated LOW.
I will issue our last advisory of the season tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. If you have any snowpack or avalanche observations drop us a line at mtavalanche@gmail.com or call us at 587-6984.
Our final advisory of the season is tomorrow, April 7th.