Bollettino valanghe

Selkirk Mountains

Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center
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Pericolo valanghe

Wed
Alta quota
1 · Debole
Limite del bosco
1 · Debole
Sotto il limite
1 · Debole
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In sintesi

Warm temperatures are expected across the Selkirks and Cabinet mountains today.  The warm temperatures will increase the avalanche danger, especially at lower elevations. The freezing level today is expected to climb up to 7000 ft. Rolling snow (pinwheeling) and saturated snow surfaces are signs of wet loose avalanche danger. Stay away from these slopes, especially in the afternoon. At high elevations, wind slabs are still hiding on northerly slopes and could be deep enough and cohesive enough to cause an avalanche. Keep a close eye on the temperature today! It will be a good tool for avoiding warming related avalanche danger.

 

Problemi valanghivi

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Unlikely
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    Wind slabs are possible today in isolated areas. You could find the right conditions for wind slabs on steep, notherly slopes above 5,000 ft and near ridgelines, where wind loading is a possibility. Prevailing winds have been out of the Southwest which means North facing slopes are going to be the most likely place to find wind slabs. 

    (3/21/2022)

    Shooting cracks in shallow wind slab, indicating that our weight could trigger an avalanche in these generally small pockets of wind slab. 6,400', E aspect, near Lower Glidden Lake.

    Photo: Ryan Matz

  • Loose Wet

    • Alta quota
    • Limite del bosco
    • Sotto il limite del bosco
    Probabilità
    Unlikely
    Dimensione
    1–1.5

    Wet loose avalanches will become more of a problem today as air temperatures are expected to rise. Warm temperatures can quickly break down the cohesiveness of snow.  Signs of loose wet snow are:

    1. Pinwheeling snow or rollerballs

    2. Unsupportable snow, moving under your weight on steep slopes

    3. Brown water moving in the creeks

    Always know what slopes are above you. Many of the roads we use in this area undercut big avalanche slopes. Do not stop in these areas and travel through them one at a time.

    Rollerballs or pinwheeling snow

Avalanche Discussion

Warm temperatures are going to drive the wet loose avalanche problem today. Weather forecasts are calling for 48 degree F air temperature at the lower elevations and 35 degrees F at 6000 ft. With temperatures this high, I’d expect to see some melting and loose snow avalanche activity. Loose wet avalanches are greatly affected by the elevation and aspect. Long story short, if the slope you're questioning is lower in elevation and facing the sun, then expect for that slope to become avalanche prone as it warms.

Traveling through avalanche terrain when loose wet avalanches are the problem can be tricky. Sometimes it’s a timing problem rather than a ‘triggering the avalanche’ problem. Because of this, you need to adjust your approach. For example, even if though the road or trail you're on may be in the shadow and cold, that slope maybe connected to a bigger slope above that’s been sitting in the sun and becoming increasingly more dangerous. Be aware of what slopes are above you. Even if you’re in what feels like a safe place, think about what’s above you. Could the snow above be avalanche prone and travel to road or trail you’re on?

At higher elevations, it’s still possible to find wind slabs. Mild storms have been moving through this week and depositing snow incrementally. For the most part, winds have been out of the Southwest and transported snow onto northerly starting zones at high elevations. You’ll find these wind slabs above 5,000 ft on north facing slopes. Be aware of wind slabs on steep, open slopes near high elevation ridges.

 Paying attention to how much water is draining out of the snowpack can be helpful this time of year. Here are a couple good tools to use this time of year:

 Snowtel- https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/id_swepctnormal_update.pdf

Stream and river gages- https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/state-summary/state/ID/

 

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