KALISPELL — Unseasonably warm temperatures this week have led to dangerous avalanche conditions across northwest Montana’s mountain ranges.
“We often say that unusual weather makes unusual avalanches, and so there’s a lot of uncertainty for us right now,” said Flathead Avalanche Center Forecaster Josh Lipkowitz.
Lipkowitz said at least six human-triggered avalanches have been recorded in Northwest Montana mountain ranges this past week.
Watch to learn more from Josh Lipkowitz with the Flathead Avalanche Center:
“That could be an undercount by a few; we don’t know if we hear every report, and in addition to that, there was a natural avalanche cycle, so avalanches that fell on their own confirmed in the Flathead range, and we can’t rule that out for the Swan or the Whitefish as well.”
Lipkowitz said warm temperatures on top of a widespread buried weak layer has led to large avalanche slides on steep slopes.
“A bunch of things have gone wrong by the time we get into that scenario, so our best course of action, especially with a widespread weakness, like we have right now, is really putting a wide margin between you and steep slopes.”
Despite a cold front moving in on Sunday, Lipkowitz said dangerous avalanche conditions will continue well into next week.
“It’s definitely possible to go play safely in the mountains right now, but it takes an extra level of awareness of what you’re on and what’s above you,” said Lipkowitz.
More information on avalanche conditions can be found here.
