Avalanche forecast

Flathead Range & Glacier NP

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

A cooling trend is decreasing the likelihood of encountering wet loose avalanches. Generally stable avalanche conditions exist. Only expose one rider at a time to steep slopes.

The avalanche danger may rise to MODERATE if freezing levels climb higher than forecast and precipitation falls as rain. If this occurrs, or if you find yourself sinking into wet snow, move to lower angled slopes and minimize overhead hazard. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–2

    A high rain line likely caused a round of natural avalanches yesterday (Wednesday). Today, cooling temperatures overnight decreased the likelihood of natural and human-triggered avalanches. You’ll most likely encounter wet snow below about 6000 feet, though don’t take that elevation as gospel. Surface clues will help you identify where this problem exists.

    If you can easily make a snowball, or if you sink into wet, manky snow, plan to manage your terrain for a wet avalanche problem. Rollerballs or pinwheels are indicators of a wet loose avalanche problem. Move to gentler terrain and minimize overhead hazards if you encounter these. You won’t need to manage this problem once you reach an elevation where a surface crust exists. 

    (12/14/2025)

    Loose wet debris piles on the north aspect of Nyack Mountain.

    Photo: Josh Lipkowitz

Avalanche Discussion

Merry Christmas! Thankfully, Santa brought with him a slight cooling trend. Sadly, he was a little too late. Freezing levels spiked yesterday (Wednesday), and rain reached mountain tops throughout much of the forecast area. Remote weather stations around 7000 feet in both the Swan and Flathead Ranges reached 40 degrees F for consecutive hours. The Whitefish Range saw rain to at least 6500 feet, though some spots remained relatively cool. The Link Mountain weather station, at about 7100 feet, never recorded temperatures above freezing. 

If you decide to take your new planks or machine out today, expect variable riding conditions. You will have to ride through wet snow at low and mid-elevations, and you will encounter refreezing or refrozen surfaces somewhere around 6000 feet. Thoughtfully navigate avalanche terrain where the surface snow is still wet, avoiding steep slopes where you might trigger enough wet snow to sweep you down. If rain falls higher than forecast, expect the avalanche danger to rise again. Move to lower-angle slopes and avoid dawdling in the runouts of large avalanche paths.

Continue to manage slabs of wind-drifted snow if you climb high into the alpine. We expect these to be isolated to the upper reaches of the forecast area or glued in by now. The last reported avalanche occurred five days ago. Reported avalanches were small (D1) and failed above a firm crust. In various locations throughout the forecast area, observers are finding weak snow above the mid-December crust. Please continue to share with us what you find. Stay safe and have a happy holiday.

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