This is Ian Hoyer with the avalanche forecast on Saturday, April 19th, at 7:00 a.m. sponsored by Klim and Cooke City Super 8/Bearclaw Bob’s. This forecast does not apply to operating ski areas. Our last daily avalanche forecast will be tomorrow, Sunday, April 20th. We will issue updates on Mondays and Fridays through the end of April.
Temperatures are in the teens and 20s F early this morning. Winds are mostly light out of the north and west, but a little stronger in the Bridger Range, gusting up to 35 mph. There hasn’t been any precipitation in the last 24 hours.
Today will start out mostly sunny, with clouds moving in later this afternoon around Bozeman and Big Sky. Temperatures will rise into the high 30s and 40s F. Mostly light west winds will continue today. Overnight, skies will cloud up everywhere and snow showers will drop a trace to 2” of new snow.
Snow (and lower elevation rain) showers will continue tomorrow before more substantial snowfall kicks in Sunday night into Monday.
This morning, the snowpack is mostly stable and avalanches are unlikely. Wind drifts of recent snow will mostly have bonded and be unreactive. Stay alert in case you find one that is still unstable. With temperatures well below freezing overnight, wet snow concerns are minimal first thing this morning.
As the day heats up, warm temperatures and intense sunshine will destabilize the recent snow, particularly on slopes facing towards the sun. Expect to trigger Wet Loose avalanches if you get onto a steep slope that has been baking in the sun for more than a couple hours. These slides will also release naturally from around exposed rocks on steep slopes. These wet loose slides will mostly be confined to the recent snow, so they won’t be huge, but still plenty big enough to knock you off your feet or push you into rocks or off a cliff. With firm crusts underneath the recent snow, they could run long distances. Be most wary in areas where there is more recent snow or in very steep, consequential terrain where a small slide would have big consequences.
Clouds moving in this afternoon could stop the melt and keep the danger from rising, but it looks like they’re going to develop too late to make a huge difference today.
The avalanche danger will start out at LOW this morning, rising to MODERATE for wet snow as the day heats up.
With firm surface crusts and without recent snow to destabilize, avalanches are unlikely and the avalanche danger is LOW.
If you encounter an error with our observation submission platform, please email your observations to mtavalanche@gmail.com
Bridger Bowl Ski Area is closed for the season, and uphill travel is allowed. Please give employees and machinery plenty of room as they work to clean up from the season. Backcountry conditions will develop as spring storms impact the range. There are no ski patrol services, avalanche mitigation or terrain closures as conditions evolve. Call 911 for any incidents requiring outside assistance.
Our last daily avalanche forecast will be Sunday, April 20th. We will issue updates on Mondays and Fridays through the end of April.