Avalanche forecast

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Warm temperatures have kicked the Springtime snowpack into gear in the Silver Valley and Selkirk/Cabinet Mountains! The snowpack at lower elevations (3-4,000 ft) is seeing the Springtime effect more that upper elevations.  The snowpack at upper elevations has seen significant melting on the surface but still has mid-winter like snow in the middle of the snowpack. It’ll take a couple weeks for the warm temperatures to permeate into the deeper regions of the snowpack. Cloud cover and cooler temps over the next 48 hours should keep the snowpack frozen. Use extra caution if your see the sun has started to softened and melt the snow surface. Free flowing melt water can weaken a snowpack quickly. Frozen snow surfaces are going to be the safest.

Avalanche problems

  • Deep Persistent Slabs

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

    Yes, we're still talking about the buried surface hoar layer from February 6th! The good news is that the spring-like process that's happening on the snow surface is making it harder to trigger the surface hoar layer. Melt-freeze layers can act like bridge, while they're in their frozen state.  Deep avalanche problems are still somthing to worry about, but as water melts through the snowpack over the next couple weeks, we'll see that surface-hoar layer break down and become a non-issue. We're not there yet...but hopefully soon we can put this layer to bed!

    Surface hoar layer 1 meter into the snowpack

  • Wet Slabs

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

    Wet avalanches are mostly a concern when the air temperature is above 32 degrees F and the sun is out and shining on the slope. The sun can be a great way to gauge the snow stability during sunny days. East facing slopes are going to heat up 1st because of their orientation to the rising sun. Simularly, lower elevation slopes are going to heat up quicker than upper elevation slopes. Keep elevation and aspect close in your brain when figuring out stability in the Spring. It can change quickly!

      If a slope has free flowing water on the surface, than it's too late. If the slope in question is still in the shade and frozen, than it's more stable. 

    0 degrees tels us that this slope is dangerously close to being unstable due to warm temperatures.

Avalanche Discussion

Cloud cover over the next couple days should keep the Springtime effect at bay for a couple days, but it looks like we're in for a warm up and sunshine later this week. Enjoy the Spring conditiond, but be aware of the signs around you! Keep it safe! Thanks again to POLARIS and TIMBERSLED for keeping us going! Thanks for your support!

Regions covered