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Daily Winter Weather Report

Date: Friday - 15 February 2013

Yellowstone National Park Winter Weather Links
Avalanche Advisory Special Weather Info
Daily Winter Weather Report Winter Road Report
Snow Depth Totals Yellowstone Weather Forecast


Station Pres Temp Max Temp Min Temp New Snow Depth Sky Present Conditions
Bechler 20.0 22.0 20.0 .11   SC N @ 2 mph
Canyon 17.4 20.3 17.4 0 31 SC  
East Entrance 23.6 24.1 22.8 .06 23 SC  
Lake 6.1 18.0 6.1 .05 32 SC Calm
Madison 5.8 17.9 5.8     SC  
Mammoth 22.2 24.8 20.3 .02 9 SC SSW @ 6 - 7 mph
NE Entrance 20.8 22.8 20.8 .20 26 SC  
Old Faithful 4.4 15.8 3.5 0 24 SC SSE @ 2 - 3 mph
Soda Butte 11.3 18.6 11.3 .03   SC  
South Entrance 19.8 22.3 19.7 .04 40 SC  
Sylvan Lake 16.9 18.9 15.1 .10 49 SC  
Sylvan Road 21.0 22.8 21.0 .10 31 SC  
Thorofare 12.0 15.0 12.0 0   SC NW @ 8 - 11 mph
Thumb Divide 14.4 17.6 14.0 0 41 SC  
Tower 19.2 24.8 19.2 0   SC NNW @ 2 mph
West Entrance 11.1 19.8 11.1 0 26 SC  
T=Trace/ BC=Broken Clouds/ C=Clear/ OC=Overcast/ SC=Scattered Clouds
All Temperatures are in °F ~ All Snow Depths are in Inches

* * Live Weather via All Yellowstone WebCams * *

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* * * Road Conditions * * *
Road Section Status Conditions Public Access / Info
Gardiner, MT to Mammoth Open * Good STR - Not Maintained from 4:30 PM to 6:00 AM
Mammoth to Tower Open * Snow Packed/Icy STR - Not Maintained from 4:30 PM to 6:00 AM
Tower to NE Entrance Open * Snow Packed/Icy STR - Not Maintained from 4:30 PM to 6:00 AM
Beartooth Highway CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED
Canyon to Lake Open Poor Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Canyon to Tower CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED ♦    (over Dunraven Pass)
Grant to South Entrance Open Good/Drifting Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Junction to Chief Joseph Hwy CLOSED CLOSED CLOSED
Lake to East Entrance Open Drifting Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Lake to West Thumb Open Fair Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Madison to Old Faithful Open   Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Madison to West Yellowstone Open   Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Mammoth to Norris Open   Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Norris to Canyon Open   Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Norris to Madison Open   Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles
Old Faithful to Grant Open   Rubber tracked oversnow concession vehicles

* = Open year-round to wheeled vehicle travel.
NR=No Restrictions / STA=Snow Tires Advised / STR=Snow Tires Required

♦ =  CLOSED FOR THE WINTER SEASON

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

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


¤ ¤ - Please Note - ¤ ¤
There is NO wheeled vehicle travel East of Cooke City, Montana during the winter. This road (U.S. Highway 212), is Closed to Wheeled Vehicle Travel to the East as it is not plowed or maintained until late spring. In order to exit Silver Gate, Montana, or Cooke City, Montana, and Yellowstone, you must travel West back through Yellowstone to the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana to exit the park and these towns.

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SPECIAL INFORMATION

    Caution advised for snow falling off of building roofs. Park accordingly.

    Dangerous avalanche conditions may already exist in many back country areas, please call the Recorded Avalanche Advisory 406-587-6981 for the most current conditions. Also, see the Avalanche Advisory posted below.

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Yellowstone Seven Day Forecast on February 15, 2013
by the National Weather Service Riverton, Wyoming

Today: Mostly cloudy in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Isolated snow showers. Chance of snow 20 percent. Highs 24°F to 30°F.

Tonight: Partly cloudy in the evening then clearing. Lows 7°F to 13°F.

Saturday: Breezy. Partly cloudy. Southwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Highs 26°F to 32°F.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. A 50 percent chance of snow. Southwest winds around 15 mph. Lows 11°F to 17°F.

Sunday: Snow likely. Snow accumulation of 2 to 3 inches. West winds around 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of snow 70 percent. Highs 19°F to 25°F.

Sunday Night: Colder. Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of snow. Lows 4°F to 10°F.

Monday / Presidents' Day: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs 18°F to 24°F.

Monday Night / Presidents' Day Night: Partly cloudy. Lows 5°F to 11°F.

Tuesday: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of snow. Highs 24°F to 30°F.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Lows 9°F to 15°F.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of snow. Highs 21°F to 27°F.

Wednesday Night: Colder. Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of snow. Lows 1°F to 7°F.

Thursday: Partly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Highs 21°F to 27°F.

Snowflake Hazardous Weather Forecast Snowflake Yellowstone & Grand Teton Forecasts Snowflake Gibbon Falls Forecast Snowflake Mammoth Forecast Snowflake Midway Forecast Snowflake Norris Forecast Snowflake Old Faithful Forecast Snowflake

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* * * Snow Depth Totals as reported at SNOTELs * * *
Station Depth (inches) Station Depth (inches)
Black Bear 84 Parker Peak 59
Blackwater 55 South Entrance 40
Canyon 31 Sylvan Lake 49
Evening Star 70 Sylvan Road 31
Fisher Creek 82 Thumb Divide 41
Grassy Lake 67 Two Ocean Plateau 68
Lewis Lake Divide 66 West Yellowstone 26
Madison Plateau 54 Whiskey Creek 34
Northeast Entrance 26 Wolverine 27

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Avalanche Advisory

from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center - February 15, 2013 - this report is by Mark Staples. This advisory does not apply to operating ski areas.

Mountain Weather

Since yesterday the northern Gallatin Range received 5 inches of new snow and probably more up high in Hyalite Canyon. The Bridger Range, northern Madison Range and mountains near Cooke City received 2 to 3 inches. The mountains closer to West Yellowstone received a trace to one inch. This morning temperatures were in the low teens Fahrenheit and winds were averaging 10 to 15 mph from the West and Northwest with gusts of 20 to 25 mph. Today will be partly sunny with temperatures around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds will blow 10 mph and gust to 25 mph from the West and Northwest. Saturday should be sunny with more snow coming Sunday.

Snowpack and Avalanche Discussion:

Cooke City:

In the last 48 hours the Fisher Creek SNOTEL site reported 0.8 inches of snow water equivalent, but there is almost double this amount in places which means 1.5 feet of new snow. Winds yesterday afternoon were blowing 25 to 40 mph from the Northwest and averaging close to 20 mph this morning, perfect speeds for drifting the fresh powder. Yesterday a skier spotted several small avalanches, ski cut one, and experienced cracking in the new snow.

Stability evaluations are relatively simple in this area because the main avalanche problem is new snow and wind-blown snow. The exception is low elevation areas that have weak facets near the ground. In one of these areas 11 days ago a rider remotely triggered an avalanche following heavy snowfall. Today the Avalanche Danger is rated CONSIDERABLE on wind loaded slopes steeper than 35 degrees. All other slopes have a MODERATE Avalanche Danger.


Bridger, Southern Gallatin and Madison Ranges, and Lionhead area near West Yellowstone:

In the Bridger Range and the mountains near Big Sky and West Yellowstone, there has been light snowfall during the last few days and relatively light winds which were averaging 10 to 15 mph this morning. Yesterday ski patrols reported that wind loaded areas were not very reactive. The main concern is a layer of facets buried 1 to 2 feet deep (photo). This layer is more widespread closer to West Yellowstone. I don't expect many avalanches on it, but I would be looking for this layer before riding or skiing in avalanche terrain. The presence of this layer means human triggered avalanche are possible and the Avalanche Danger is rated MODERATE.


Northern Gallatin Range:

The northern Gallatin Range which includes Mount Ellis, Hyalite Canyon, and the Little Bear area, has two factors contributing to poor stability. This area received more snow than other places recently, and it has layers of weak facets on many slopes. Skiers on Mount Wheeler found a poor snowpack structure (photo) and a small recent avalanche, both red flags. A group of skiers in Hyalite Canyon triggered one small avalanche and saw several others all about 12 to 14 inches deep involving new snow with some wind loading.

Avalanches may easily break deeper in the snowpack on weak faceted layers now buried 2 to 3 feet deep (photo1, photo2). Late last night, ridgetop winds averaged 20 mph which is perfect for moving fresh powder. Today with new snow, wind, and widespread buried weak layers, the Avalanche Danger is CONSIDERABLE.

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


EDUCATION, PHOTOS, SNOWPITS, and VIDEOS

1. For links to Articles, Education and (photos), (snowpits), or (videos) listed in the above report, please visit this Link.

2. They have recently uploaded more photos and snowpits to their web site, more than what are linked in the advisory above.

3. They have creating a series of "How To…" stability test videos. So far they have clips on performing a CT and ECT. They are located under Stability Tests on their Resources page.

Information provided by Doug Chabot, Mark Staples, and Eric Knoff from the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center. For 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

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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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