Observers from the Swan Range continue to report safe avalanche conditions and a lack of obvious avalanche problems. If you find more than a couple inches of fresh snow from last night, be wary of shallow sluffs and thin wind slabs near terrain traps or in extreme terrain.
?
Above 6500 ft.
?
5000-6500 ft.
?
3500-5000 ft.
New snow overnight in adjacent mountain ranges appears to have mostly missed the Swan Range. If you find an exception - more than a couple of inches of new snow - expect to also find shallow sluffing or the potential for thin wind slabs. Continue to practice safe travel protocols to guard against isolated surprises. Carry avalanche rescue gear and travel one at a time in steep terrain.
Mountain stations are showing 2" to 3" of new snow across our forecast area last night. The snowfall was hit-or-miss, though it did favor the Whitefish Range and Glacier Park. We expect very shallow instabilities within the new snow. By themselves, small sluffs or very thin wind slabs aren't dangerous - the avalanche danger remains LOW nudging closer to MODERATE. But pair these shallow instabilities with the aggressive terrain choices we've observed in the past few days and this is a good recipe for someone to trigger a small avalanche that could have big consequences. Don't become complacent with the sea of green. Low danger means small hazards exist in isolated areas.
Below the new snow, you'll find a strong and generally stable snowpack that has shown few signs of slab instabilities in the past 5 days. The new snow accumulated on a mix of melt-freeze crusts, wind hardened surfaces, and near-surface facets.
Last night’s quick-hitting system has moved on, leaving clearing skies and light winds in its wake. Today will bring sunny skies and seasonal temperatures cooler than yesterday. Snow lovers, stay tuned. Monday is a transition day ahead of a snowier pattern through the rest of the week.
| Sunday | Sunday Night | Monday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Cover: | Mostly Clear | Mostly Cloudy | Mostly Cloudy |
| Temperatures: | 31 to 36 deg. F. | 21 to 26 deg. F. | 31 to 38 deg. F. |
| Wind Direction: | West | Southwest | Southwest |
| Wind Speed: | 0 to 10, G20 | 5 to 15, G25 | 5 to 15, G30 |
| Snowfall: | 0" in. | 0" in. | 0" to 1" in. |
| Snow Line: | 2500' | 3000' | 4000' |
This forecast applies only to backcountry areas outside established ski area boundaries. The forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur. This forecast expires at midnight on the posted day unless otherwise noted. The information in this forecast is provided by the USDA Forest Service who is solely responsible for its content.
