Avalanche warning in Swan Range highest in country today
Avalanche Warning
A "high" chance of an avalanche in the Swan Range existed Thursday according to Flathead National Forest representative Erich Peitzch.
The Swan Range warning is the highest single warning listed in the United States today, according to the American Avalanche Association.
The warning, valid until 11:30 p.m. Thursday regards locations above 3,000 feet, Peitzch said.
Experts expect continued heavy snow and wind to continue through the day and report that "both natural and human triggered avalanches are likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended."
"Stay off and out from underneath slopes steeper than 30 degrees," the warning said. "Avalanches may run long distances and can reach into mature forests."
"Considerable" warnings exist in Flathead and Glacier ranges, west central Montana and the western part of the state.
The Western Central Avalanche Center in Missoula listed Southern Mission, Swan and central Bitterroot ranges as "High," Dudley Improta of the Western Central Avalanche Center said.
Improta said the danger rating is the sole responsibility of the U.S. Forest Service and does not apply to operating ski areas.
That warning expires at midnight Thursday.
"Overall, in the west central Montana backcountry, the avalanche danger is considerable. Natural avalanches are possible and human-triggered avalanches are likely," Improta said.
New snow has accumulated; 6 inches overall, up to 15 inches in the southern Missions, 10 inches in the Central Bitterroot. The new snow was accompanied by stong winds primarily out of the west and southwest. However, all steep slopes are suspect, Improta said. Storm slabs and wind slabs are inherently more dangerous than loose snow avalanches; but with the new snow accumulation sluffs could be quite large and consequential.
Travel on or under steep slopes is not recommended, he said.
Weather Warning
The National Weather Service in Missoula issued a winter weather advisory for Lake County that will continue until 11 a.m.Experts predict a combination of freezing rain, freezing fog and snow that will continue to threaten road and outdoor conditions that could produce snow accumulations up to 3 inches in some areas and six to 10 inches in higher terrain.