20-21

<p>This weekend we’ll see pretty much the whole range of spring weather. Sun, clouds, shifting winds, temperatures above and below freezing, maybe rain, and then snow to cap it all off. While conditions are generally stable and avalanches are unlikely in the lower snowpack, this variable weather means that there are a number of different, relatively minor, hazards to watch out for.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Unusual easterly winds have drifted the little bit of recent snow into cohesive slabs on slopes that don’t normally have wind drifts. Skiers in the northern Bridger Range yesterday found some small wind drifts that cracked along their skintrack (<a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/images/21/wind-drifts-near-flathead-pass"><…;). Assess these drifts before committing to steep slopes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With temperatures rising above freezing and sunny skies, expect small, loose wet avalanches. These slides will only involve the new snow or the top couple inches of the snowpack as crusts break down. The major hazard posed by these slides is getting knocked off your feet and into rocks or off a cliff. Watch for the snow surface getting wet and rollerballs as warning signs that conditions for loose wet avalanches are developing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Right now, precipitation is forecasted to begin Sunday evening. If snow starts a bit earlier than expected, watch out for small avalanches in fresh wind drifts on Sunday afternoon. If it rains more than a drizzle, avoid steep slopes as the snowpack may rapidly destabilize.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Continue to follow the same safe travel protocols as in the winter: ski or ride with a partner; always carry a beacon, shovel, and probe; and go one at a time on steep slopes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We will issue spring snowpack and weather updates each Monday and Friday through April, or as needed, and we will share relevant avalanche and snowpack information on our website and social media. If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can submit them via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation"><strong><u>websi…;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><strong><u>mtavalanche@gmail.com</u></str…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>

<p>The snowpack in the mountains around Bozeman, Big Sky, West Yellowstone and Cooke City is generally stable. A thick melt-freeze crust below several inches of recent snow is isolating skiers and riders from deeper instabilities. If this week’s forecast holds, avalanches will remain unlikely outside of isolated drifts of fresh snow sitting on top of this crust. Watch for potential avalanches’ size and reactivity to increase if we get more snowfall than anticipated during the week or if the sun and warmer temperatures moisten the snow surface. Assess the stability of any new or wind-drifted snow before committing to steep terrain and watch for signs of warming such as rollerballs or sinking into wet snow more than a few inches.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For now, manage isolated instabilities by consistently following safe travel protocols, skiing or riding with a partner, and carrying a beacon, probe, and shovel. Assess steep terrain for features such as rocks, trees and cliffs that decrease the margin for error and increase the consequences of small avalanches. Read more about spring avalanche hazards below in the “<strong>GENERAL SPRING SNOWPACK AND TRAVEL ADVICE</strong>” section.&nbsp;</p>

<p>We will issue spring snowpack and weather updates each Monday and Friday through April, or as needed, and we will share relevant avalanche and snowpack information on our website and social media. If you get out, please send us your observations no matter how brief. You can submit them via our <a href="https://www.mtavalanche.com/node/add/snow_observation"><strong><u>websi…;, email (<a href="mailto:mtavalanche@gmail.com"><strong><u>mtavalanche@gmail.com</u></str…;), phone (406-587-6984), or Instagram (#gnfacobs).</p>