Our latest spring storm is bringing both rain and snow to the area which is keeping the avalanche concerns across the area complicated. According to the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center (GNFAC), the mix of rain and snow in the backcountry is creating different hazards depending on elevation.
Doug Chabot, the director of the GNFAC says that with warmer temperatures, especially in low elevations, produce more of a risk of wet avalanches for recreationalists. “This time of year the sun and warm temperatures is not necessarily our friend,” Chabot said. He recommends that you get out earlier in the day when temperatures are still cold to avoid elevated avalanche risks in the backcountry.
We are now moving to a spring snowpack and the avalanche danger can change very rapidly. Heavy snow is still falling at higher elevations, and you still run into the typical concerns of avalanches with new snow, especially early in the day. This recent storm is dumping tons of new snow up high, but the low elevations may still be dealing with rain. That means that conditions are varying with height and recreationalists need to be aware of how those conditions are changing both as you move up in elevation and as temperatures change during the day.
The GNFAC are wrapping up their winter operations right now. They are putting out reports on Mondays and Fridays and updating conditions we pick up new snow in the region. “With the spring it isn’t so much daily snowfall that is the problem, it is more problems with temperature. That is just a matter of behavior” Chabot says. “You want to get out in the morning when it is still frozen and getting back early”.
You can always check out conditions before you head out by going to their website: https://www.mtavalanche.com/
