Along with this week’s increased snowfall is an increase in the avalanche danger.
Big temperature changes earlier this month and in December have caused a weak layer of snow to form below the snow we’ve picked up this week. Strong winds are also causing weak snow slabs on the slopes.
Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center Director Doug Chabot says that it’s not the amount of snow that’s causing the problems but the water content in the snow.
“We’re more interested in how much water fell and how dense is that snow. The snow is coming in very dense and so when we add wind to that, it means we’re putting a lot of weight on slopes at higher elevations and that weight is what is causing these weak layers.” Chabot said.
Chabot recommends staying away from steep slopes this week.
