INTRODUCTION:
   This is Tony Willits with the backcountry avalanche advisory issued by
   the U.S. Forest Service Glacier Country Avalanche Center at 8:00 AM,
   Tuesday, April 1st for the Glacier Park and Flathead and Kootenai
   National Forest areas.
   HAZARD ANALYSIS
   Between 5000' and 7000' of elevation we are rating the avalanche danger
   as CONSIDERABLE, on northerly aspects of the East and West Cabinets and
   MODERATE on the remaining portions of the advisory area.
   Below 5000 feet of elevation the avalanche danger is currently being
   rated as LOW.
   These danger ratings expire at midnight, Tuesday, April 1st.  The
   avalanche danger should remain at current levels through Thursday.
   Because of the general nature of this advisory message, each
   backcountry party will always need to make their own time and site
   specific avalanche hazard evaluations.
   WEATHER ANALYSIS:
   The past storm system from Friday night to mid afternoon Saturday
   delivered 1.0 to 1.6 inches of snow water equivalent with only very
   light gains in the past 48 hours.  Temperatures have remained below
   freezing temps during the day and into the mid teens at night.  No
   significant wind transport since late Sunday.

   SNOWPACK ANALYSIS:
   Our backcountry observations Monday were from Noisy Basin on the
   Flathead National Forest and from the Poorman Basin in the East
   Cabinets on the Kootenai National Forest.
   The snowpack is hanging on to mid winter characteristics with multiple
   easy shears on angular type grains.  These interfaces are within the
   top 50 to 60 cms of the surface.  This is not alarming but a reflection
   of the cooler temperatures that are lingering into spring.  The snow
   since Friday is settling and is remaining soft especially on the shaded
   aspects.  The hard north aspects, are where the more responsive stress
   failures are occurring.  Buried surface hoar is still present but
   getting compressed and buried from 120 to 160 cms down, this layer
   still produces clean shears.  This interface is becoming less reactive
   to triggers but still can be triggered over the more shallow areas on
   the terrain, i.e. convex rolls.

   AVALANCHE - INSTABILITY DESCRIPTION:
   Between 5000 and 7000 feet of elevation, the avalanche danger is
   currently being rated as CONSIDERABLE, on northerly aspects of the East
   and West Cabinets within the Kootenai National Forest portion of the
   advisory area, where unstable slab layers are probable.  Natural
   avalanches are possible, while human triggered avalanches are probable.
   Backcountry travelers should be very cautious on steep aspects. Be
   aware of potentially dangerous areas of unstable snow.
   Between 5000 and 7000 feet of elevation, the avalanche danger is
   currently being rated as MODERATE, on the remaining portion of the
   advisory area to include the Purcell Mountains on the Kootenai, the
   Flathead and Glacier National Park portions of the advisory area, where
   unstable slab layers are possible on steep terrain. Natural avalanches
   are unlikely, while human triggered avalanches are possible.
   Backcountry travelers should use caution in steeper terrain on certain
   aspects.

   Below 5000 feet of elevation the avalanche danger is currently being
   rated as  LOW, snow is generally stable with only isolated areas of
   instability. Natural avalanches are very unlikely, while human
   triggered avalanches are unlikely. Backcountry travel is generally
   safe. Normal caution is advised.
   WEATHER FORECAST & AVALANCHE OUTLOOK:
   `
   A broad trough will remain over the Northern Rockies for the next
   couple of days.  A weak disturbance will move through the trough  into
   Tuesday morning which will keep the shower activity going near the
   Canadian Border.  The atmosphere appears to become fairly  unstable
   during the afternoon hours Tuesday so another round of widespread snow
   showers are expected with the activity decreasing  after sunset
   Tuesday.  Temperatures during this period appear to remain well below
   seasonal  norms.

   Expect settling within the snowpack at a gradual rate with the cooler
   temps until Thursday when we might see more typical spring conditions.
   Although the persistent weak layers on north aspects are getting buried
   deeper do not ignore the potential for them to be triggered or go big
   with the amounts of loading currently perched over the buried weak
   interfaces.  The south slopes have started to crust up a bit and will
   show signs of instability as solar activity and warmer temps reappear
   and should be avoided during peak thawing.

   Please note that this avalanche advisory is our best interpretation of
   snowpack conditions and National Weather Service forecasts on the day
   the advisory is issued. Unanticipated weather changes such as wind, a
   marked temperature increase, or precipitation beyond forecast amounts
   can increase the avalanche danger. Local variations may also exist.
   The next avalanche advisory will be on Friday, April 4th, 2008.