Big storm dumped snow south of the Flathead
Hungry Horse News | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 13 years, 2 months AGO
A potent winter storm that hit the Flathead last week fell short of predictions of 4-8 feet of new snow, but it did help boost mountain snowpack percentages slightly closer to average.
From Jan. 15 to 20, the Flathead Basin's snowpack jumped from 67 percent of average to 76 percent, according to the National Weather Service in Missoula. The Kootenai Basin's snowpack climbed from 83 to 87 percent of average.
Nearly 20 inches of snow was tallied at Flattop Mountain in Glacier National Park. A SNOTEL monitor there shows a snow depth of 84 inches on Jan. 20.
Whitefish Mountain Resort reported 26 inches of new snow in the past week, with a settled base of 60 inches at the summit of Big Mountain.
At Noisy Basin in the Swan Mountains, 14 inches of snow fell during the storm, bringing the total depth to 57 inches.
Areas in the Bitterroot Mountains of West Central Montana picked up the most snow. A SNOTEL site at Lolo Pass indicated 31 inches of snow fell from Jan. 15 to 20. The Lookout Pass ski area reported 54 inches of new snow fell during the storm.
MORE IMPORTED STORIES
ARTICLES BY HUNGRY HORSE NEWS
Canyon bike trail meeting May 16
Supporters for construction of a new bike and pedestrian trail from Coram to West Glacier will meet at the Heavens Peak Lodge and Resort, 12130 U.S. 2, in West Glacier, on Monday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m.
Bill requires verification before issuing driver's licenses
A bill requiring the state to electronically verify that all foreign nationals are in the U.S. legally before issuing a Montana driver’s license or ID card was signed into law by Gov. Brian Schweitzer on April 18.
Uphill skiers need to be aware of avalanches on Big Mtn.
Whitefish Mountain Resort’s post-season uphill policy expired last week, but with significant snowfall and changing weather conditions, the resort reminds skier and hikers that avalanche hazards in the ski area’s permitted boundaries do exist.