Good Morning. This is Eric Knoff with the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Forecast issued on Friday, December 7th at 6:45 a.m. This forecast is sponsored by Gallatin County Search and Rescue and Yellowstone Club Community Foundation, and does not apply to operating ski areas.
A strong inversion this morning is making mountain temps warmer than the valleys. At 5 a.m. temps in the mountains around Bozeman and Big Sky are in the teens to low 20s F. Conditions are cooler around West Yellowstone and Cooke City where mountain temps are in the single digits F. Winds are blowing 5-20 mph out of the west-southwest. Today, nice weather continues as a ridge of high pressure remains parked over the area. Temps warm into the mid to upper 20s F and winds remain light to moderate out of the west-southwest. Nice weather continues through the weekend.
The lack of new snow and wind has created generally stable conditions. Yesterday, Doug and I found good stability in the gullies around Hyalite (video). Alex also found stable conditions on Buck Ridge south of Big Sky (video). We did receive one report of a natural avalanche outside of Cooke City. This slide appeared to be the result of heavy wind loading earlier in the week (photo).
Today, it’s unlikely that avalanches will be triggered on wind loaded slopes, but it’s not impossible. Watch for and assess areas of wind drifted snow before committing to steeper terrain. It only takes a small slide to create a dangerous situation, especially in a thin early season snowpack.
Outside of isolated instabilities the snowpack is generally stable. Check out our snowpit profile page for a complete list of profiles across the advisory area (profile page).
Today, generally safe avalanche conditions exist and the avalanche danger is rated LOW.
Alex will issue the next advisory tomorrow morning by 7:30 a.m. If you get out and have any avalanche or snowpack observations to share, contact us via our website, email (mtavalanche@gmail.com), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).
Upcoming Avalanche Education and Events
Our education calendar is full of awareness lectures and field courses. Check it out: Events and Education Calendar.
BOZEMAN
Today and December 9, Beacon Park for the Bozeman Ice Fest, Grotto Falls parking lot, Hyalite Canyon, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
December 11 and 12, Snowmobile Intro to Avalanches w/Field, Holiday Inn, West Yellowstone; more info here.
December 12, 1-hr Avalanche Awareness for Snowmobilers, 6-7 p.m. at Yellowstone Motorsports, Bozeman.
December 13, 1-hr Avalanche Awareness, 6-7 p.m. at Play It Again Sports, Bozeman.
HELENA
December 12, 1-hr Avalanche Awareness, 6-7 p.m. at The Basecamp, Helena.
COOKE CITY
Every Friday and Saturday, Rescue Training and Snowpack Update. Friday 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Soda Butte Lodge. Saturday anytime between 10-2 @ Round Lake.
Check out our new “Avalanches and Snowpits” menu item where we list all the reported avalanche activity.