Avalanche forecast

Silver Valley & Bitterroot Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

You are likely to initiate wet loose avalanches in steep terrain all day today. The morning starts with wet loose avalanche concerns on all aspects and elevations because yesterday’s warm temperatures did not drop overnight. This extended warming on new snow from earlier this week could produce large wet loose and possible wet slab avalanches in big, steep terrain. You can avoid avalanche problems today by staying off and not lingering below terrain steeper than 35 degrees on all aspects.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–1.5

    Temperatures near 50F overnight make for an abnormal start to the day, with human triggered wet avalanches likely right off the bat. Steady or even dropping temperatures through the day, with possible rain, should continue the likelihood of wet loose slides until a refreeze tonight. This first extended warming since the storm earlier in the week focuses our wet avalanche concerns on steep terrain shedding this recent snow above 5,000’ elevations. Old, previously refrozen snow at the surface for lower elevations and under the newer snow up high is likely to produce wet avalanches. While we generally expect wet loose activity on the smaller side today, a few big, steep slopes could produce truly large wet loose or wet slab avalanches.

    Roller balls or pinwheels, a sign of warming and wetting on recently dry snow. If you see active roller balls or initiate them, avoid steep terrain!

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Extended warming also stresses cornices, especially any built in our wind event earlier this week. These could fail naturally, under the weight of a person, and especially under the weight of a machine. Use caution approaching the edge or any above treeline ridge. Cornices can break surprisingly far back on a ridge. Also avoid lingering below them, and a falling cornice would likely trigger a loose wet avalanche.

    (3/31/2022)

    Cornice Fall Debris

Avalanche Discussion

Warm air temperatures and maybe a little rain today drive our wet avalanche problems. After slight warming Wednesday, more pronounced and sustained warming yesterday is shifting our recent wind slab avalanche problems to the wet variety. We didn’t venture higher than 6,000’ yesterday, but found warming affected snow on all aspects up to that elevation as of 11:00 AM. With warmer temperatures since, all aspects and elevations in the St. Regis & Silver Valley zone should hold warm and wetting snow. This warming snow that accumulated up to 12” and was heavily wind affected at middle and upper elevations earlier in the week sits on older, previously refrozen snow. While less likely than wet loose avalanches, wet slab avalanches might occur in the new snow, especially wetting wind slabs, above this old refrozen crust. With a stabilizing refreeze forecast for all our terrain tonight and tomorrow, a little patience will help you avoid today’s wet avalanche problems and sloppy snow conditions. Choose mellow terrain if you do venture out today.

This is our last avalanche forecast of the 2021/2022 winter season. Thanks for following our forecasts all season and have a safe, fun spring!

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