Advisory Archive

The Bridger Range, northern Gallatin Range and mountains around Big Sky got 13-15 inches of creamy snow since yesterday morning.  The southern Madison Range picked up another 5-6 inches with Cooke City getting 8 inches more. Winds have been blowing west to southwest and are currently reading 20-30 mph, a bit less than yesterday morning.  Mountain temperatures are currently in the low to mid teens under cloudy skies.  Today will remain cloudy as westerly winds lessen to 15-20 mph.   Cooke City may get 2-3 inches tonight while other mountains should only see a trace to an inch by morning. 

A strong, wet, unstable Pacific storm has already dropped 10-12 inches of snow in the southern mountains.  The Big Sky area to the Bridger Range just started to get hit and has one to two inches of snow at 6 a.m.  West to southwest winds ripped across all elevations yesterday with speeds averaging 20-30 with gusts reaching the 60s. Winds will decrease today, but still blow 20-25 mph.  By tomorrow morning snowfall will measure 8-12 inches in the north with possibly 16 inches in the south. 

Since yesterday afternoon winds have increased and clouds have moved into our area ahead of a strong pacific storm system.  This morning, winds have been blowing consistently at 20-40 mph out of the W-SW, with gusts reaching 60 mph in the Bridger Range.  Temperatures are on the mild side with lows in the upper twenties to mid thirties F.  Today, winds will remain strong out of the W-SW and mountain temperatures will rise into the mid to upper forties F.  Precipitation will move into our area starting later tonight and we should see 3-5 inches of snow above 7,000 ft by tomorrow morning.

A brief ridge of high pressure has brought spring like conditions to southwest Montana.  Currently, mountain temperatures are ranging from the upper teens to the high twenties and winds are blowing out of the W-NW at 5-15 mph, with an exception of the Bridger Ridge where winds are blowing 20-25 mph out of the W.  Today, temperatures will warm rapidly into the mid to high forties and winds will remain out of the W at 5-15 mph.  We should start to see increasing clouds and stronger ridgetop winds by this evening as the next storm system approaches from the west.       

Wet Snow Avalanche Danger

Today's weather will start out chilly, but will warm rapidly under mostly sunny skies and calm conditions.  Wet snow avalanches will become a concern as the new snow heats up under the intense rays of the sun (photo).  By this afternoon the wet snow avalanche danger could rise to CONSIDERABLE on all sun exposed slopes.

Since yesterday morning most areas received an additional trace of snow, and skies began clearing overnight.  This morning temperatures dropped into the mid teens F with winds blowing 10-25 mph from the NW.  Today will be mostly sunny with high temperatures in the low to mid 30s F.  Winds will decrease to 10-15 mph and slowly shift to the W.  No more snow will fall this weekend, but it should return by Monday evening and the rest of next week looks promising. 

Wet Snow Avalanche Danger

Today's weather will start quite cold but warm rapidly under mostly sunny skies and calm winds.  Wet snow avalanches will be limited, but south facing slopes with new snow sitting on a hard ice crust may heat enough for a few loose, wet snow slides (photo).  By afternoon the wet snow avalanche danger should rise to MODERATE on all sun exposed slopes.

Today will be a good one to call in sick to work.  Since yesterday the Bridger Range and northern Madison Range received 8-9 inches of snow.  The southern Madison Range and the mountains around Cooke City and West Yellowstone received 6 inches of snow, and the northern Gallatin Range received 2 inches.  This morning temperatures were in the high teens and low 20s F, and winds were blowing 15-30 mph from the W with a few gusts reaching 40 mph.  Heavy snowfall has ended, but light snow will continue sporadically through today and tonight with an additional 1-2 inches falling by tomorrow morning.  Temperatures will reach the mid 30s F and winds will blow 20-25 mph from the W and NW.

This morning at 4 a.m. temperatures were in the high teens and low 20s F, and ridgetop winds were blowing 10-20 mph from the S and SW.  Today will begin with clear skies, but clouds will start moving over the area after midday with snowfall occurring this evening.  High temperatures will be near 30 degrees F with S and SW winds continuing to blow 10-20 mph but increasing late this afternoon.  By tomorrow morning 2-4 inches of snow will accumulate in the southern half of the advisory area while 1-3 inches will accumulate in the northern half. 

Yesterday morning a trace to one inch of snow fell at the tail end of the storm.  Ridgetop winds were westerly at 15 mph with mountain temperatures reaching the upper 20s.  A high pressure ridge is bringing sunny, warm, stable weather today.  West to southwest winds will be light at 10-15 mph with temperatures climbing to near 50F.  Skies will become partly cloudy late tonight with another chance of snow late Thursday.   

WET SNOW AVALANCHE DANGER

Yesterday's afternoon sun turned the snow into mashed potatoes on south aspects.  Today's sun and spring temperatures will go a big step further and create wet slides on all but the coolest, most north facing slopes. I expect to see wet point release avalanches near cliffs and rock outcroppings which could trigger avalanches running on deeper layers.  The wet snow avalanche danger will increase with the rising sun and quickly become CONSIDERABLE by early afternoon on all sun exposed slopes.

Snowfall in the last 24 hours measured 7-9 inches in the Bridger and northern Gallatin Ranges, three to four inches in the northern Madison Range and Cooke City area, and only an inch elsewhere.  Mountain temperatures are currently in the mid teens with northwest winds blowing 15-20 mph.  Snow showers will drop another inch in the northern mountains before tapering off later this morning.  Skies will become partly cloudy but fully clear tonight as winds remain moderate from the west-northwest.

The ridge of high pressure that brought us sunny skies yesterday has broken down as a moist pacific storm system pushes in from the west.  This approaching storm has produced gusty ridgetop winds that are blowing 20-30 mph out of the W-NW.  Currently, light snow has started to fall in the Bridger Range totaling close to an inch while the other ranges of our advisory are remain dry.  Presently, mountain temperatures are in the mid to upper twenties, but will rise into the mid thirties by this afternoon.  These mild temperatures will prevent snow from accumulating in the valley, but the mountains should see 3-5 inches by tomorrow morning.  Winds will start to subside by this afternoon as the frontal passage moves past our area.