With nearly 20 inches of mountain snowfall in the past few days, dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry of the Flathead Valley, according to the latest regional advisory issued Wednesday.
The Flathead Avalanche Center announced this morning that the local avalanche hazard is considerable, meaning human triggered avalanches are likely, particularly on steep slopes with unsettled and wind-affected recent storm snow and in areas where buried surface hoar and crust layers are more reactive.
Recent unsettled storm snow and associated wind will remain a concern Wednesday, particularly in the Swan Range, according to Todd Hannan with the FAC. The Noisy Basin Snotel site reported 15 inches of new snow, and other crown heights ranged from 12 to18 inches throughout the region. More snow is expected to arrive late on Thursday.
“The buried surface hoar, crusts, and facets have not been very reactive except in isolated areas, but still exist in our snowpack and are capable of producing an avalanche,” Hannan said in the advisory. “Careful evaluation of these layers and how they react to the new load is important on all aspects and elevations.”
For more information about avalanche conditions, visit the Flathead Avalanche Center’s website.