AVWMSO
The following message is transmitted at the request of Idaho Panhandle
Avalanche Center Sandpoint ID.
…AVALANCHE WARNING ISSUED BY THE IDAHO PANHANDLE AVALANCHE CENTER…
06:00 PST Sun Feb 23 2025
The Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center in Sandpoint has issued a BACKCOUNTRY
AVALANCHE WARNING for the following areas:
NWS Missoula MT –
MTZ001 (MTZ001)
NWS Spokane WA –
ID 017 (Bonner County)…ID 021 (Boundary County)…ID 079 (Shoshone County)
* WHAT…An Avalanche Warning is in effect from Sunday 6 AM to Monday 6 AM.
Very dangerous avalanche conditions have developed from wet, dense snowfall
and moderate to heavy rain saturating the snowpack and will last through
Monday morning. You can very easily trigger avalanches large enough to bury
or kill you, and some will release spontaneously. Avoid travel in avalanche
terrain during this period.
* WHERE…The Selkirk, West and East Cabinet, Purcell, and Bitterroot
Mountains – Silver Valley above 4,000 feet.
* WHEN…In effect from Sun 06:00 PST to Mon 06:00 PST.
* IMPACTS…The combination of dense storm snow, strong winds, and continued
moderate to heavy rainfall saturating the upper snowpack is overloading
buried weak snow layers. The snow line will likely rise to between 6,000 and
7,000 feet Sunday afternoon-evening. It will be very likely for backcountry
travelers to trigger large to very large avalanches and natural avalanches
are likely. Avalanches can break wide across terrain features and run long
distances to lower elevations and into mature forests.
* PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…Travel in avalanche terrain is not
recommended during this period.
Consult http://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org/ or www.avalanche.org for
more detailed information.
Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of
this or any avalanche center.
