THIS AVALANCHE FORECAST EXPIRED ON November 19, 2015 @ 12:11 am
Avalanche Forecast published on November 18, 2015 @ 7:11 am
Issued by Todd Hannan - Flathead National Forest

Whitefish Range
Swan Range
Flathead Range and Glacier National Park

How to read the forecast

Substantial precipitation and strong winds over the past 24 hours created fresh windslabs at mid and upper-elevations. Unfortunately, the best coverage in the mid-elevations will be found in recent wind-loaded areas which will also be the most unstable. Avoid slopes with wind-drifted snow and pay attention to signs of instability like cracking, collapsing, and recent avalanche activity.

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Above 6500 ft.

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5000-6500 ft.

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3500-5000 ft.
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 While the mid-elevation snowpack is still trying to transition to winter there is snow up high and certainly enough for avalanches to occur.  The northern part of the advisory areas has received the lion's share of the precip which, at the upper most elevations, translates to a substantial amount of snow. At upper elevations this new snow combined with wind is likely forming wind slabs near the tops of ridges and in gullies. So, pay attention to these changing conditions like wind slab formation. Hunters and climbers should also be aware of changing condtions during the early season as you venture higher into the mountains

The early season is a great time to practice your transceiver skills. You can practice anywhere, and all of the grasses and bushes sticking up out of the snow makes it easy for your partner to hide his/her transceiver. Speaking of practice, it's also a great time to start brushing away the cobwebs in the part of your brain that thinks about avalanches, and attend one of the upcoming classes this fall. Check here for a calendar. The next avalanche awareness class is this Friday, November 20 at 7:00 pm at the Stonefly Lounge in Coram. Many of these classes are hosted by local shops and retailers, and we appreciate their support in helping educate backcountry users. 

While you are dreaming about powder-filled slopes you might also check out the online tutorials under the Education tab. There are a number of resources from the National Avalanche Center and the American Avalanche Association. There is also a great tutorial from Avalanche Canada as well as their Throttle Decisions video series.

 Also, look for upcoming information on the Snowball from the Friends of the Flathead Avalanche Center (FOFAC). If you are out in the mountains, let us know what you are seeing. How much snow is on the ground? Where was the rain/snow line this past weekend? How were the ice conditions? All of it helps. You can drop us a line at [email protected], call us at 406.387.3821, or submit an observation. 

We will not issue danger ratings until we start issuing regular advisories, and this year we will issue advisories 7 days/week. Woohoo! We will likely begin issuing regular advisories within the first couple weeks of December, conditions dependent. .We will continue to update the site with snowpack and avalanche information as conditions warrant and change. 

 

 

 

 

Weather and CURRENT CONDITIONS
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weather summary

While temperatures were warm for the onset of the precipitation yesterday, they did drop in time for us to start re-building our mid-elevation base. Again, this storm favored the northern part of the advisory area. In the past 24 hours we picked up between 3-10 inches of snow with 0.3-2 inches of snow water equivalent (SWE). Flattop Mtn SNOTEL was the big winner with 10 inches of snow and 2 inches SWE and Stahl SNOTEL recorded 9 inches of snow and 1.6 inches SWE. Winds were out of the southwest in the teens to mid-20s with gusts recorded in the 70s (Snow Slip). Currently, temperatures are 19-29° F and winds continue to blow out of the southwest at 11-13 mph with gusts from 23-28 mph. Expect continued snow showers today with winds increasing again in the afternoon out of the southwest and temperatures in the low to mid-20s F.

Disclaimer

This advisory applies only to backcountry areas outside established ski area boundaries. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur. This advisory expires at midnight on the posted day unless otherwise noted. The information in this advisory is provided by the USDA Forest Service who is solely responsible for its content.