Avalanche forecast

Flathead Range & Glacier NP

Flathead Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 7 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

It is still possible to trigger a large avalanche 1-3 feet deep on a buried weak layer on isolated slopes. The chance of finding a susceptible slope is decreasing, but the consequences of being caught remain severe. Stick to lower-angled terrain while enjoying the sunshine and ease of travel.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

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

    The sunshine and warm temperatures have stiffened the snow surface; however, a weak layer, 1-3 feet below the surface, still exists. Yesterday(Thursday), I saw 4 large avalanches that failed at approximately 7,000 feet in the Great Bear Wilderness. These appeared to have occurred within the past 7 days. This added confirmation that a persistent slab problem encompasses our entire forecast area. While the likelihood of triggering one of these is slowly decreasing with the moderate temperatures, the significance of being caught remains the same. These avalanches are breaking wide, can be triggered remotely, and are often in very consequential terrain.

    It is possible to find cold/dry snow above 6,500 feet. Keep an assessing mindset while choosing a route. Snowpit tests are a great way to identify the weak layer, but currently, they’re not providing consistent enough feedback to make slope-specific decisions. Trigger points can be convexities or thin parts of the snowpack. Choose lower-angled, shaded slopes for the most uniform snow conditions and safest path. Only put one rider or skier on a slope at a time and limit exposure above consequential terrain such as cliff bands or stringers of timber.

    Steep slopes that receive direct sunshine could soften and continue to produce wet loose avalanches. While mostly harmless, these could step down into the buried weak layer, causing a much larger slab avalanche. Rollerballs and mushy snow are the signs to retreat to shaded slopes to avoid being caught up in this combination. 

    (1/15/2026)

    This large avalanche likely failed on a buried weak layer at 7,400 feet on a NE Aspect. This avalanche occurred naturally and sometime earlier in the week (1/7-1/13).

    Photo: Guy Zoellner

Avalanche Discussion

Conditions for larger objectives and easy travel are being set up. Overnight refreeze of the snowpack and colder daytime temperatures will make for a glorious day in the mountains. If you’re making plans for today or the weekend, keep a few things in mind.

We’ve found large avalanches failing on a buried weak layer across the advisory area in the last week. These have largely been confined to the south and east aspects.  Shaded north aspects still have the structure within the snowpack to produce large avalanches; however, they lack any documented recent avalanches. 

We have theorized that collectively, much of the recreational use occurred on southerly slopes due to the semi-rare occurrence of long-lasting, deep powder riding/skiing on longer sections of terrain. As the hunt turns to drier/colder snow, we expect more use on shaded, upper-elevation terrain. These are the areas where there remains a lack of evidence, and a lack of confidence that a Persistent Slab problem does NOT exist.

Continue slope-specific assessment wherever your travels take you. Slopes that are uniform in plane, steeper than 30 degrees, and have high-consequence terrain traps beneath them, are places I’m unwilling to go right now. Using terrain to dictate travel routes will be the safest way to manage this problem. Meadow skipping, ridgewalking, and long trail rides with friends and family are great ways to enjoy this extended high-pressure pattern.

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