Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 27th, 2025–Mar 28th, 2025

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

Regions

Lizard-Flathead, Flathead, Lizard.

There is uncertainty with the speed of recovery of the snowpack. Maintain conservative terrain choices while we transition to a cooler weather pattern.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Natural wet loose and natural cornice avalanche activity continued throughout the region on Thursday.

Large destructive avalanches were reported throughout the warm-up, involving persistent weak layers.

Temperatures are forecasted to cool, but rising daytime freezing levels may not fully develop a supportive crust; human triggering is possible.

Read the Forecaster Blog for an opportunity to reflect on this week's widespread avalanche activity.

Snowpack Summary

Roughly 10 to 15 cm will accumulate throughout the day over a breakable melt-freeze crust that becomes more supportive as you gain elevation.

The upper snowpack remains moist over a well-settled mid-pack.

A surface hoar or facet layer from late January is buried 100 to 180 cm deep on north and east aspects at treeline and above.

Weather Summary

Thursday Night

Cloudy with isolated flurries, 1 to 2 cm. 20 to 30 km/h southwest ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -3 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.

Friday

Cloudy. Flurries, 8 to 12 cm. 20 to 30 km/h west ridgetop winds. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 2000 m.

Saturday

Cloudy. Isolated flurries, 2 to 4 cm of snow. 20 to 30 southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1700 m.

Sunday

Cloudy. Isolated flurries, 2 cm. 5 to 10 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C. freezing level 1700 m.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Be especially cautious as you transition into wind-affected terrain.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
  • Cornice failures could trigger large and destructive avalanches.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Cornices

Cornice Fall is the release of an overhanging mass of snow that forms as the wind moves snow over a sharp terrain feature, such as a ridge, and deposits snow on the downwind (leeward) side. Cornices range in size from small wind drifts of soft snow to large overhangs of hard snow that are 30 feet (10 meters) or taller. They can break off the terrain suddenly and pull back onto the ridge top and catch people by surprise even on the flat ground above the slope. Even small cornices can have enough mass to be destructive and deadly. Cornice Fall can entrain loose surface snow or trigger slab avalanches.

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.