Avalanche forecast

Flathead Range & Glacier NP

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 9 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

An Avalanche Warning is in effect. Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Avoid traveling on or below steep terrain. Large avalanches will fail naturally and run long distances.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Very Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Rain on dry snow is a recipe for instant avalanching. The wet debris from these slides can travel long distances and be very destructive. If you decide to go out today, plan a route that avoids all avalanche terrain. That includes the runouts of large paths and steep terrain in mature forests. Don’t let the tall alder at low elevations fool you into thinking it is safe from above. We've included low elevations due to the threat of avalanches running to valley floor. 

    (12/13/2024)

    Debris pile and track from a large (D3) wet loose avalanche on the north face of Mount Penrose.  This likely occurred during an early-season warming event, similar to today. 

    Photo: Flathead Avalanche Center

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–3

    Wind speeds are cranking; hourly averages are above the threshold for drifting snow into thick, hard slabs. Avoid traveling on or below terrain that is being actively loaded by wind-drifted snow.

    Yesterday (Monday), we triggered slab avalanches and initiated shooting cracks on small test slopes. Expect more of the same today, and expect large avalanches to fail naturally. A human-triggered or natural avalanche that starts at upper elevations will travel long distances and entrain dense, wet snow below, making it difficult to survive. Avoid being on or below steep terrain.

    (12/7/2025)

    Common example of windloaded terrain along the Continental Divide from strong West winds with snow available for transport. 

    Photo: Michael Reavis

Avalanche Discussion

A potentially historic atmospheric river event is leading to very dangerous avalanche conditions. Rain on snow and heavy snow are overloading the snowpack. In the last 24 hours, remote weather stations are picking up anywhere from .75 to 2+ inches of Snow Water Equivelent and growing. Yesterday (Monday), we received reports of very large avalanches running to lower elevations (see photo). Overnight, high precipitation intensity and strong wind speeds likely led to a significant round of natural avalanches.

Today, a brief lull in precipitation and cooling temperatures should slightly decrease the likelihood of natural avalanches, though it’s nothing I’d hang my hat on. Rain on dry snow and warm temperatures often lead to impressively large avalanches that travel far distances. Complex avalanche conditions should lead to simple terrain selection. That includes choosing routes free of overhead hazards and avoiding steep slopes. I’d give all avalanche terrain, big or small, a wide margin today.

Looking ahead, we are in for another round of snow, rain, and strong wind tomorrow (Wednesday). Expect very dangerous avalanche conditions to remain in place until the storm passes.

Regions covered