Sandpoint, ID – A Backcountry Avalanche Warning is in effect for the Selkirk and Cabinet Mountains of northwestern Montana and the Idaho Panhandle through 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center and the National Weather Service offices in Missoula and Spokane.
Forecasters warn that very dangerous avalanche conditions are developing as another powerful atmospheric river brings heavy rain and strong winds to the region. The warning covers Bonner and Boundary counties in Idaho and adjacent mountain zones in western Montana, including areas above 4,000 feet.
“The combination of heavy rain, strong winds, and an already stressed snowpack will make it very easy to trigger avalanches large enough to bury or kill a person,” the Avalanche Center stated. “Many avalanches will release spontaneously and could run long distances into lower terrain.”
The rain line is expected to climb to near 8,000 feet on Wednesday, soaking deep layers of weak snow and increasing the risk of widespread slides. Natural avalanches are likely, and conditions will remain unstable until colder air arrives late Thursday.
Backcountry users are strongly urged to avoid travel in, near, or below avalanche terrain during this warning period. Dangerous slides may occur well outside expected zones or reach trailheads, forest roads, and low-elevation slopes.
For updated safety information, visit idahopanhandleavalanche.org or avalanche.org, and always check the latest avalanche forecasts before entering mountainous areas.
