?
Above 6500 ft.
?
5000-6500 ft.
?
3500-5000 ft.
0-6” of snow fell yesterday with areas near the Continental Divide favored. Gusty southwest winds shifted to the north in the afternoon forming thin slabs on all aspects. Slabs will be thickest and most reactive in areas closer to the Divide. Slabs are forming on a variety of surfaces which may inhibit bonding. Look for pillows of snow below ridgelines and in gulley features. Evaluate all steep or convex wind-loaded slopes. An obvious sign of instability is cracking in the snow surface.
A late-season arctic front entered our area yesterday afternoon resulting in a wind shift from southwest to north, cold temperatures and areas of snow. Locations near the Continental Divide were favored for snowfall with Flattop (central Glacier Park) and Pike Creek (Marias Pass) receiving about 6". John F. Stevens Canyon picked up a few inches but most other areas report little to none. In the Flathead Range and Glacier Park, the avalanche danger is MODERATE due to new snow and gusty winds forming thin slabs on all aspects at mid and upper elevations. Of note are the atypical north winds forming slabs on a surface crust on sunny aspects. The Whitefish Range and the Swan Range missed out on snowfall and we are dropping the danger to LOW for these zones. This does not mean that there is no danger in these areas. Due to the shifting gusty winds, expect to find isolated slabs on all aspects at upper elevations. All wind-loaded terrain should be evaluated before committing to a steep slope.
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An arctic front continues to make its way through our area leaving behind cold temperatures and gusty east winds. Partial clearing and southwest flow returns tonight before a plume of Pacific moisture moves into our area Sunday afternoon and Monday.
| Saturday | Saturday Night | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Cover: | Partial clearing | Clearing | Snow developing in the afternoon. |
| Temperatures: | 30 to 35 deg. F. | 10 to 15 deg. F. | 33 to 38 deg. F. |
| Wind Direction: | E | SW | SW |
| Wind Speed: | 5 to 15 mph, gusting 25 mph | 1to 11 | 10 to 20 mph, gusting 30 mph |
| Snowfall: | 0 in. | 0 in. | 1 to 3 in. |
| Snow Line: |
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.
