Lawinenlagebericht

Whitefish Range

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Wed
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
1 · Gering
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 9 months ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Last night's snowfall, coupled with more snow today, will lead to increasing avalanche danger at upper elevations. Exercise caution if traveling on or under steep slopes above 6,500 feet. Avoid slopes with a convex profile. Maintain awareness of the terrain below you; the early season snowpack barely covers many hazards, such as stumps, rocks and creeks.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Storm Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    A fresh blanket of snow has fallen on all three ranges in the forecast area, with storm totals predicted to be a foot or more by the end of the day. Terrain steeper than 35 degrees and convex in shape will be the primary places to avoid today. The hazard will increase as you gain elevation into terrain where the new snow sits on slopes with continuous snow rather than bare ground. 

    On slopes that had contiguous snow cover prior to this storm, the old snow surface was a crust from last week's rain. Some ridgelines were wind- scoured prior to the snowfall. Sheltered areas may harbor pockets of now- buried surface hoar. Heed the information you gather if you notice shooting cracks as you switchback on the up-track or sidehill a roadcut on your machine. 

    Avoid convex rollovers, such as this, while managing today's storm slab problem

    Crown of a skier-triggered soft slab in the Canyon Creek area, just outside the boundary of WMR, 2024/25 season.

    Photo: Cam Johnson

Avalanche Discussion

Our much- loved Powder has returned to Northwest Montana! Weather stations in the Whitefish Range reported 3 inches of overnight snow and light winds, with 3 more inches forecast throughout the day. The Flathead and Swan Ranges both received 7 inches overnight, with an additional 4-8 inches expected by the end of the day. 

Recall back to several days ago when skies were clear, temperatures cold and winds had ripped the high peaks? That pattern left a plethora of potential old snow surfaces for this current snowfall to pile upon.

A buried crust was reported in the Whitefish Range on Monday. Nearby ranges reported surface hoar wind scoured ridgelines. All of these old surfaces could be the current weak layer for the new snow to fall upon. Upper- elevation slopes with the deepest, and thus most enticing snowpack, will pose the greatest risk. Avoid rollovers on the slope and lee areas below ridgelines that were affected by the wind. 

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