Good Morning. This is Eric Knoff with mountain weather and snowpack information issued on Tuesday, November 9. This bulletin will be updated as conditions change.
At 6 am this morning 6 to 11 inches of snow has fallen throughout our advisory area. Shower Falls Snotel site in the northern Gallatin Range has recorded the most with 11 inches of snow totaling over an inch of water. Carrot Basin and the Yellowstone Club near Big Sky have received 9 to 10 inches while the Bridger Range picked up 6 to 8 inches. The mountains around West Yellowstone and Cook City received 5 to 6 inches. My guess is that all these areas picked up at least a few more inches in the higher elevations.
Mountain temperatures are ranging from the upper teens to low twenties and winds are blowing out of the W-NW at 5 to 15 mph. Today, we can expect to see mountain temperatures reach the upper twenties while valley temperatures will climb into the mid to high thirties. There will be a slight chance of continued precipitation this morning, but all precipitation should end by this afternoon. Southwest Montana can expect to see clearing skis and warmer temperatures by tomorrow.
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Nine to twelve inches of heavy, dense snow has fallen in the past twenty four hours and soft slabs have likely formed on leeward aspects, specifically near ridgelines or in upper elevation starting zones. Areas that have received fresh deposits of wind-blown snow will be the most likely to slide and should be approached with caution. Avalanche activity should be limited to the new storm snow, so examining the interface between the new and old snow will provide a good sense to how well the new snow has bonded.
It is early season - sometimes a hard thing to remember when it is puking snow. Paying close attention to the terrain you are riding is just as important now as later in the season. Even though a slide in the current conditions may not be large enough to bury you, it could drag you into trees, rocks, or over cliffs. Avoiding terrain traps such as gullies and road cuts where sliding snow can amplify in depth is always smart protocol.
Avalanches do not discriminate: whether you are a skier, hunter, climber or snowmobiler remember to use smart traveling procedures when in avalanche terrain, carry avalanche rescue gear and be informed of the current conditions. If you have any snowpack or avalanche observations, drop us a line at mtavalanche@gmail.com or call us at 587-6984.
Feeling rusty or need to learn a few things? Take an avalanche course, we have plenty coming up.
Education
The Friends of GNFAC in cooperation with REI will be hosting a FREE Bridger Bowl sidecountry avalanche awareness presentation. Wed, November 10, 6:30pm - 7:00pm REI, Bozeman
1 Hour Avalanche Awareness Class - Thu, November 11, 6:30pm - 7:30pm - The Basecamp, Helena, MT (map)
1 Hour Avalanche Awareness Class -Thu, November 11, 7pm - 8pm -Northern Lights Trading Company, Bozeman (map).
Avalanche Awareness: Avalaunch - Fri, November 12, 5pm - 7pm - C'mon Inn, 6139 E Valley Center Rd, Bozeman (map)
1 Hour Avalanche Awareness Class - Wed, November 17, 7:30pm - 8:30pm - Grizzly Outfitters, Big Sky, MT (map)
1 Hour Avalanche Awareness Class -Thu, November 18, 6:30pm - 7:30pm - Basecamp, Billings, MT (map)