Avalanche danger remains high across western US due to weak snowpack
The National Avalanche Center reported that 14 people have died in avalanches during the 2024-2025 season so far, most of whom were skiers or snowboarders.
Avalanche danger remains high across West
Officials across the western U.S. are warning people traveling through mountain passes or enjoying the outdoors to be aware of a dangerous avalanche threat due to weak snowpack. FOX Weather Meteorologists Stephen Morgan and Marissa Torres explain the risk.
Officials across the western U.S. are warning anyone who may be outdoors or traveling through higher elevations to be cautious and prepared due to a high avalanche danger across the region.
"Dangerous avalanches continue to threaten the Northwest as deep snowpack, high winds and warmer weather, with that addition to heavy rain, is going to create quite a load on that snowpack underneath," FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan said.
This graphic shows the avalanche danger across the western U.S.
(FOX Weather)
That, Morgan continued, will make it very likely for backcountry travelers enjoying the slopes, to trigger large or very large avalanches.
Avalanches may break wide across terrain features and could run long distances into the lower elevations, and anyone caught in one could easily be injured or killed.
The National Avalanche Center reported that 14 people have died in avalanches during the 2024-2025 season so far, most of whom were skiers or snowboarders.
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This graphic shows the avalanche danger in the Pacific Northwest.
(FOX Weather)
At least eight states across the West were experiencing avalanche danger Monday, but officials are most concerned about the conditions in portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
"It’s a high risk for many of these areas, especially along the northern Rockies (Monday) because of the warmer air, the rain at the higher elevations, it just loosens everything up," FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres said. "You do have avalanche mitigation at a lot of the resorts where they’ll go, and they’ll actually drop explosives to shake it up before people get out there, but this is an area where you just don’t even want to risk it for today."
According to the Colorado Avalanche Center, an average of 27 people have died in avalanches in the U.S. over the past 10 winters.
DANGERS OF AVALANCHES, AND WHAT TO DO IF AN AVALANCHE IS COMING AT YOU
This graphic shows Avalanche Warnings in the West.
(FOX Weather)
Because of the danger, the Flathead Avalanche Center in Hungry Horse, Montana, issued an Avalanche Warning in the northwestern part of the state. This includes all elevations of the Whitefish, Apgar, Swan and Flathead mountain ranges and portions of Glacier National Park, including the McDonald Valley and peaks near Maria’s Pass. The Avalanche Warning will remain in effect until at least 6 a.m. MT on Tuesday.
"Triggered wet snow avalanches are likely below 6,000 feet," a bulletin from the National Weather Service read. "Above that elevation, large to very large natural and triggered avalanches are likely."
Officials said travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended, and a similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage of the Avalanche Warning.
Deadly avalanches reported across western US
Colorado man rescued after being buried by avalanche
Ben Butler with the Summit County Rescue Group spoke about how his team rescued a man who became buried in snow after an avalanche on Monday.
Avalanches have injured or killed several people across the western U.S. so far this season, including this past weekend.
Officials said a snowboarder was killed in an avalanche in Colorado on Saturday, and a man was rescued after he was buried on the slopes of Vail Pass in central Colorado last week.
Dramatic video captured the moment he was rescued after being buried for more than an hour.
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Avalanches rushes down Utah canyon during snowstorm
Utah Department of Transportation video shows an avalanche at Little Cottonwood Canyon on Saturday during a winter storm.
Officials in central Oregon said they found the bodies of two missing skiers on Feb. 18 who were believed to have been buried in an avalanche in the Cascade Mountains.
Earlier this month, two ski patrollers were caught in an avalanche after winter weather on Lincoln Mountain in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains.
A massive avalanche buried a highway in Idaho for several days, and officials said an avalanche killed a skier and injured another at Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon on Feb. 8.
Also in Utah, a Wyoming man was killed in an avalanche while he was snowmobiling with a friend.