Avalanche danger high in northwest Montana

Heavy, wet snow has prompted an avalanche warning for the mountains of Northwest Montana.

The avalanche hazard is high for the Whitefish, Swan and Flathead mountain ranges and portions of Glacier National Park, according to the Flathead Avalanche Center. Avalanches triggered by people have been reported every day for the past four days.

According to the Avalanche Center, “New snow and winds over buried surface hoar 1.5 to 2.5 feet deep make human-triggered avalanches very likely and natural avalanches likely with the potential to be large and destructive. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.”

By Wednesday morning 3 to 9 inches of wet snow had fallen in nine hours.

More snow was expected Wednesday and Thursday, prompting the Avalanche Center to warn that snowpack stability will get worse before it gets better.

Avalanches were reported throughout the Whitefish and Swan mountain ranges.

On Tuesday, for example, skiers in the southern Whitefish Range reported two separate human-triggered avalanches.

For more information, go to http://flatheadavalanche.org