Avalanche forecast

Silver Valley & Bitterroot Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The likelihood of triggering a wet slab avalanche will decrease today, but still remain possible. The snowpack is still saturated from top to bottom at all elevations and has lost strength and cohesion due to rain and meltwater. You are most likely to encounter this problem on steep slopes over 30 degrees at mid elevations, where rain will continue to loosen the snowpack today. Exercise caution in steep terrain and limit time in runout zones. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2.5

    Generous amounts of rain and continued meltwater have reached all the way through the snowpack, causing snow to lose cohesion and become quite unconsolidated. Facets that formed at the base of the snowpack and around the December rain crusts are saturated and lubricated, but haven't had an opportunity to refreeze and gain much stability yet. As temperatures go down to just around freezing today the chance of triggering a wet slab avalanche will gradually decrease, but won't be completely off the table.  This problem will likely exist primarily on mid elevation slopes where precipitation from today will be more rain than snow. 

Avalanche Discussion

The snowpack continues to change rapidly under the pressure of unusually warm temperatures. All elevations have lost snow rapidly, and accessing snow that is deep enough to recreate on is becoming a challenge. Rain and meltwater have saturated the snowpack from top to bottom, and as a result the snowpack has lost a lot of strength. With how much water still exists in the snowpack, wet avalanches are still a possibility today. However, the chance of triggering a wet slab avalanche will decrease as temperatures go down and the snowpack is able to begin to freeze and heal.

Wet snow avalanches are often difficult to predict, and there tends to be a degree of uncertainty associated with them. Determining just how much water is still present and how long it will take to heal and stabilize is difficult to judge. The best way to mitigate this degree of uncertainty is to stay off steep slopes that are still mushy and unconsolidated to the ground. Yesterday we covered a lot of ground around Burke canyon, and observed several natural avalanches that failed on the ground.  One of these avalanches failed above a terrain trap, and debris ran the full length of the narrow shoot and piled up on the road below. This is a good example of why it's important to be aware of what steep slopes are above you when traveling in the mountains, and limit time in run out zones.

Temperatures will go down to around freezing and while mid and lower elevations will likely see some rain, upper elevations could see a small dusting of snow. Snow is forecasted for the weekend, with temperatures dropping to the upper 20's by Saturday. 

Regions covered