Avalanche forecast

East Cabinet Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
4 · High
Treeline
4 · High
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Heavy snow and strong winds have formed thick and dangerous slabs of snow at elevations above 5,000' that will be easily triggered through Saturday. Additional snow and winds will roll into the area on Saturday and add stress to the snowpack. Travel in or below steep and mountainous terrain is not recommended. Human triggered avalanches are very likely today

We have recieved a report of an avalanche incident in the Selkirk Range on Saturday. Very little info is available at this time, a preliminary report will be posted as additional info becomes available and forecasters are able to perform and investigation. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    On Tuesday night the latest storm rolled into the area bringing heavy mountain snow and strong winds through Friday morning. This storm came in cold with lighter density snow and transitioned to a warmer pattern with snow densities increasing as the storm progressed. This has created very dangerous avalanche conditions. Storm slabs and wind slabs will be easily triggered by humans on Friday and Saturday with east and northerly aspects being the most dangerous locations as wind loading has created deeper slabs on those aspects. While the area will saw a brief break in snowfall Friday, the weather forecast predicts another 6-9" of snow to fall on Saturday accompanied by moderate to strong winds out of the south and east.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2–3.5

    With the recent storms we have buried weak layers within the snowpack that consist of melt-freeze crusts and buried surface hoar that may set the stage for larger avalanches to be produced as this most recent storm creates a cohesive slab overlying these weak layers. The potential for avalanches that are triggered in the new storm snow layer could easily step down to a deeper weak layer and produce large and destructive avalanches.

Avalanche Discussion

Snow is going to move in the mountains today, avalanches may occur naturally in steep terrain and human triggered avalanches are very likely. We strongly advise that you avoid being in or below any terrain steeper than 30 degrees. While Friday we saw a break in snowfall which allowed some settling to occur, conditions will remain dangerous today and additional snow is forecast for Saturday. Give the new snow some time to settle before venturing into steeper terrain.

Bear Mountain picked up 5" of snow water equivalent since this last storm began on Tuesday night (as of Friday morning), you can expect to find 2-3 feet of fresh snow in higher terrain depending on elevation and which mountain range you are in. While the entire area received a decent shot of moisture, this storm favored the West Cabinets. On Thursday we observed that the snow-rain line was roughly around 5,000' during the day then dropped to valley floors overnight. At elevations below 5,000' the snowpack surface was very wet and saturated as heavy rain fell through the day. Above 5,000' it was snowing hard with strong winds out of the southwest that were loading slopes below ridgelines, making them prime spots to trigger avalanches today.

Regions covered