Avalanche forecast

Flathead Range & Glacier NP

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

Maintain safe travel protocols by traveling one at a time through steep terrain. Select slopes with smooth runouts free of surface obstacles. If the snow surface becomes gloppy and wet, switch aspects to reduce the chance of triggering a small loose wet avalanche.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Temperatures will climb above freezing to nearly 10,000 feet in elevation. Solar radiation and warm temperatures will wet the snow surface. Look for rollerballs out of steep, rocky terrain as early indicators for a loose wet avalanche problem. If you see signs of rollerballs or point releases, switch aspects or lower your slope angles. 

    (12/22/2023)

    Steep terrain with trees and rocks (like the one photgraphed here) are typically the first to show signs of a wet loose avalanche cycle. 

    Photo: Mark Dundas

Avalanche Discussion

A ridge of high pressure will lead to another beautiful day in the mountains and yet another day of dense fog in the valley. Temperatures are forecast to be the warmest of the past week, with freezing levels climbing up to nearly 10,000 feet. Cloud cover will slowly build throughout the day. Wind speed averages will remain in the single digits.

Over the past few days, warm temperatures and solar radiation have worked over the snow surface. Southerly-facing aspects have a melt-freeze crust on the surface, and snow on northerly-facing aspects has settled, and in some areas, a thin temperature crust exists. This should reduce the chances for a loose wet avalanche cycle. Although we expect loose wet activity to be unlikely and small in size, warm temperatures make us wary of removing it as a listed problem. Thankfully, it is an easy problem to identify and avoid. Rollerballs and pinwheels are precursors to loose wet avalanches. If you begin to see these occurring, switch aspects or reduce your slope angles. Warm temperatures may cause some loose wet activity on northerly-facing aspects.

During periods of extended low danger, it is easy to let your guard down and loosen safe travel protocols. Remember, triggering an avalanche is unlikely, not impossible. Snow coverage is currently thin, with plenty of surface obstacles that can cause trauma, even with a small slide. Experienced and professional users have found slabs of drifted snow or observed audible collapses, which altered their plans (observation, observation). These are good examples of keeping an eye on changing conditions and adapting to what you see.

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