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Daily Winter Weather Report

Date: Wednesday - 07 March 2012


Station Max Temp Min Temp Pres Temp New Snow Depth Sky Present Conditions
Canyon 32 -18 -11 1 39 C Calm
East Entrance 34 -2 -1 4 44 C Calm
Grant Village 34 -13 -12 6 55 C Calm
Lake 31 -5 -1 1 48 C Calm
Lamar 38 -6 -1 T 14 C Calm
Madison 32 -14 -8 2 30 C Calm
Mammoth 38 0 8 .5 11 C Calm
Old Faithful 32 -13 -12 4 38 C Calm
Pahaska 16.5 3.8 5.7 .19 - C Calm
Snake River 37 3 5 3.5 71 C Calm
Soda Butte 7.3 -10.6 -9.6 .01 - C Calm
Thumb Divide 10.8 -12.1 -12.1 0 56 C Calm
Tower 38 -4 2 1 19 C N@1-3mph
West Entrance 34 -18 -17 8 48 C Calm
BC=Broken Clouds / C=Clear / OC=Overcast / SC=Scattered Clouds / T=Trace
All Temperatures are in °F ~ All Snow Depths are in Inches


* * * Road Conditions * * *
Road Section Status Conditions Public Access / Info
Gardiner to Mammoth YR Intermittent Snow pack & Ice Snow Tires Required
Mammoth to Tower YR Intermittent Snow pack & Ice Snow Tires Required
Tower to NE Entrance YR Intermittent Snow pack & Ice Snow Tires Required
Beartooth Highway CLOSED * CLOSED * CLOSED *
Canyon to Lake Open Good All oversnow vehicles
Canyon to Tower CLOSED * CLOSED * CLOSED *
Firehole Canyon Drive CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED
Grant to South Entrance Open Good All oversnow vehicles
Junction to Chief Joseph Hwy CLOSED * CLOSED * CLOSED *
Lake to East Entrance CLOSED * CLOSED * CLOSED *
Lake to West Thumb Open Good All oversnow vehicles
Madison to Old Faithful Open POOR All oversnow vehicles
Madison to West Yellowstone Open POOR All oversnow vehicles
Mammoth to Norris CLOSED * CLOSED * CLOSED *
Norris to Canyon CLOSED * CLOSED * CLOSED *
Norris to Madison CLOSED * CLOSED * CLOSED *
Old Faithful to Grant Open Fair All oversnow vehicles

YR = Open Year Round / NR = No Restrictions

* NOTE: CLOSED FOR THE WINTER SEASON.

# Poor road conditions - bare spots and melting snow - Restricted to Snowcoaches Only.

The park service plowing schedule for roads for the spring season.

******** FOR CURRENT ROAD INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 307-344-2117 ********

 SPECIAL INFORMATION

Yellowstone Seven Day Forecast on 07 March 2012
by the National Weather Service Riverton, Wyoming

Today: North northeast wind around 8 mph becoming west. Mostly sunny, with a high near 25°F. Wind chill values as low as -10°F.

Tonight: Northwest wind between 7 and 9 mph. Mostly clear, with a low around 3°F. Wind chill values as low as -10°F.

Thursday: North northeast wind at 7 mph becoming southwest. Sunny, with a high near 34°F. Wind chill values as low as -5°F.

Thursday Night: North northwest wind at 6 mph becoming east. Mostly clear, with a low around 18°F.

Friday: Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Sunny, with a high near 39°F.

Friday Night: Southwest wind around 6 mph. Mostly clear, with a low around 24°F.

Saturday: South southwest wind around 6 mph. Mostly sunny, with a high near 40°F.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 17°F.

Sunday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Mostly sunny, with a high near 40°F.

Sunday Night: A 20% chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15°F.

Monday: A slight chance of snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 35°F.

Monday Night: A slight chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 13°F.

Tuesday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 39°F.

Snowflake Hazardous Weather Snowflake Gibbon Falls Forecast Snowflake Mammoth Forecast Snowflake Midway Forecast Snowflake Norris Forecast Snowflake Old Faithful Forecast Snowflake

* * * Snow Depth Totals as reported at SNOTELs * * *
Station Depth (inches) Station Depth (inches)
Black Bear 114 Parker Peak 73
Blackwater 79 Snake River Station 66
Canyon 46 Sylvan Lake 64
Evening Star 94 Sylvan Road 49
Fisher Creek 98 Thumb Divide 56
Grassy Lake 106 Two Ocean Plateau 94
Lewis Lake Divide 94 West Yellowstone 49
Madison Plateau 76 Whiskey Creek 59
Northeast Entrance 38 Wolverine 42

Avalanche Information
from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center - 07 March 2012 - 7:30 am - this report is by Mark Staples. This advisory does not apply to operating ski areas.

Mountain Weather

Yesterday's storm dropped 4 to 6 inches of snow throughout the advisory area except the northern Bridger Range which only received about an inch while only a few miles south, Bridger Bowl received 5 inches. Overnight skies cleared and temperatures dropped to the negative single digits Fahrenheit. Wind speeds and directions have varied considerably. In general winds were blowing strong early yesterday from the Southwest, calmed midday, then increased last evening from the Northwest blowing 15-25 mph. In some places like Hyalite winds have been very calm since yesterday while other places like Bridger Bowl and Lionhead they increased overnight. Today will be clear and sunny with temperatures climbing into the low 20s Fahrenheit. Winds will remain varied over the advisory area but will mostly blow from the West and North at 10-15 mph with gusts of 25 mph.

Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion:

The Bridger, Madison and Gallatin Ranges, the mountains around Cooke City and the Lionhead area near West Yellowstone:

Yesterday's new snow contained 0.4 inches of snow water equivalent through most of the advisory area. This snow did not provide enough stress to the snowpack to significantly change the danger, but it will keep it from dropping today, and there will be three avalanche problems to address:

    1. New wind slabs. Strong winds in some areas readily transported yesterday's snow and formed fresh wind slabs which will easily fracture and avalanche. These wind slabs will be easy to identify and avoid.

    2. Buried facets. Dig a snowpit about 4 feet deep. If you hit ground and find depth hoar (photo, video), find a different slope with deeper snow. Slopes with deeper snow will have a thin layer of facets buried about 3 feet deep. Assess this layer. It may be relatively strong on some slopes but do not trust it too much because it remains weak on others and can produce avalanches. Recent snowmobile triggered avalanches along Buck Ridge and on Cedar Mountain near Big Sky are good examples. (photo1, photo2, photo3)

    3. Wet snow. On slopes receiving direct sunshine and little wind, the new snow will warm quickly, and wet point releases should occur today. With temperatures below zero this morning, wet snow avalanches will not be a major problem today but could become a greater problem in coming days.

Wind slabs and wet snow avalanches will be relatively easy to avoid. Avoiding avalanches breaking on buried faceted layers will require digging a snowpit and performing stability tests. These layers will most likely produce avalanches on slopes loaded by either last night's winds or very strong winds that blew early this week and last weekend. Today the Avalanche Danger is CONSIDERABLE on all wind-loaded slopes. All other slopes will have a MODERATE Avalanche Danger.

   Recent avalanche in Utah   

A snowmobiler was caught and buried in an avalanche in Utah on Sunday. He was not wearing a beacon and was buried for about 20 minutes. He was incredibly lucky. Few people buried this long survive. Also, notice a recent avalanche on the adjacent slope. Recent avalanches are clear signs of unstable conditions: http://vimeo.com/38078462.

* * Accident Report * *

The accident reports for the avalanche fatality near Cooke City and the slide on Saddle Peak are now available. See this link.

* * * Last Saturday Francis Skierka from Cut Bank, Montana died in an avalanche in northwestern Montana near Marias Pass. Sadly his wife, Andrea, is pregnant and due in two months. A memorial fund to help Andrea and her baby has been established: The Francis Skierka Family Memorial, Stockman Bank, 125 West Main, Cut Bank MT 59427, 406-873-9400. * * *

The next advisory tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. If you have any snowpack or avalanche observations, drop us a line at mtavalanche@gmail.com or call us at: 406-587-6984.

For Photos, Videos and More Detailed Information related to this report, Please Visit the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center.


~ EVENT ~

31st Annual Pinhead Classic

Come to Bridger Bowl on Saturday, March 17th (Saint Patrick's Day) with telemark skis, AT skis, alpine skis, snowboards, split boards, or even snow blades. The theme is Snowpocalypse based on the wildly popular Mayan 2012 apocalypse. $30 gets you into the races, a pint glass, t-shirt, a good time, a raffle ticket, and food by Cafe Fresco. Pre-register at Mystery Ranch or Grizzly Ridge: March 11-16. Visit http://pinheadclassic.com/ or the Pinhead Facebook Page for more info.

Beacon Parks

The Friends of the Avalanche Center installed a Beacon Training Park outside West Yellowstone. It's located south of town on the main snowmobile trail. Stop by and do a quick practice before heading off into the mountains!


EDUCATION, EVENTS, PHOTOS, SNOWPITS, and VIDEOS

1. We've recently uploaded more photos and snowpits to our web site, more than what are linked in the advisory.

2. We're creating a series of "How To…" stability test videos. So far we've got clips on performing a CT and ECT. There are located under Stability Tests on the Resources page.

3. Check out all our education programs, Click Here.

Information provided by Doug Chabot, Mark Staples, and Eric Knoff from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. For Events and Education, or Photos and Videos, please visit the Avalanche Centers Website!

If you have any snowpack or avalanche observations, drop them a line at mtavalanche@gmail.com or call: 406-587-6984.

For detailed Avalanche Terms utilized here, please see the Avalanche Glossary.


Avalanche Danger Scale

Back to the Yellowstone Daily Winter Reports or the Yellowstone Weather Page

Information provided by Yellowstone National Park, National Weather Service and Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center


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