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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 7th, 2025–Mar 8th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Lizard-Flathead, Flathead, Lizard.

Continue to choose simple, mellow terrain. Signs of buried weak layers may be hard to find.

Watch for signs of warming and be aware of overhead hazard.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Recent explosive avalanche control and cornice fall has produced numerous storm slab avalanches up to size 2 in north through east facing alpine terrain.

Looking forward: Avalanches on buried weak layers may be difficult to trigger, but if one is triggered, it is likely to be large and destructive.

Snowpack Summary

Up to 25 cm of recent snow is settling on a widespread melt-freeze crust that exists on all sun-affected slopes, and as high as 1700 m on shaded slopes.

A weak layer of preserved surface hoar or facets from late January is buried 80 to 130 cm. This weak layer remains a concern where there is no thick, supportive crust under the recent snow.

The lower snowpack is generally well-settled and strong.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Mainly clear. 15 to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level falling to 700 m overnight.

Saturday

A mix of sun and cloud. 25 to 45 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level rising to 2000 m through the day.

Sunday

Mainly cloudy, with flurries beginning late in the day. 25 to 35 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Freezing level 1900 m.

Monday

Mainly cloudy with up to 15 cm of snow overnight and through the day. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
  • A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling, and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.
  • Avalanche activity is unlikely when a thick melt-freeze crust is present on the snow surface.

Problems

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.