Weekly Recap
Friday 1/24/20 - Thursday 1/30/20
This week on As the World Terns: By FAC Intern Rob Millspaugh.
Warm, wet and windy has been the story of late. Last Friday these conditions yielded elevated avalanche hazard in the form of Wind Slab, Loose Wet and even popped a D3 Deep Slab in the Flathead Range. Stability improved through the weekend as winds calmed and temperatures dropped below freezing. Sunday’s avalanche problems even sported a “Normal Caution” in the Swan Range as a high-pressure ridge moved over the advisory area. Folks recreating in that particular range sure enjoyed feeling normal if only for a day. Moisture returned to finish the weekend bringing 1” of SWE to the Swan range by Monday. Storm Slab instabilities were forecasted and verified through the beginning of the week as observers reported avalanche activity and pit results involving crusts and graupel at storm interfaces. Winds increased and precipitation tapered towards the end of the week with daytime temperatures staying near freezing. We removed Deep Slab from the Whitefish Range on the 27th. Recent activity in the Flathead range indicate it is still an issue on specific slopes. Another round of warm, wet and windy weather is testing the underlying week layers and Deep Slabs have been added back to the list.
