Weather Alert in Montana
Avalanche Warning issued February 23 at 6:44PM MST by NWS Missoula MT
AREAS AFFECTED: Kootenai/Cabinet Region
DESCRIPTION: 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... 16:00 PST Mon Feb 23 2026 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 Monday 4 PM to Tuesday 4 PM. Very dangerous avalanche conditions have developed from heavy snowfall and strong winds, and will last through Tuesday. 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 Mountains, West and East Cabinet Mountains, Purcell Mountains, and the Bitterroot Mountains - Silver Valley above 4,000 feet. * WHEN...In effect from Mon 16:00 PST to Tue 16:00 PST. * IMPACTS...Dense snowfall and widespread drifting has formed dangerous slabs of snow over multiple fragile weak snow layers. The new snow is adding enough stress to the snowpack to cause a widespread cycle of avalanches large enough to bury, injure, or kill a person. Some of these avalanches could propagate widely across terrain features like ridges, and run long distances into mature forests, valley floors, or flat terrain. It will be very easy for backcountry travelers to trigger them. * PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Travel in and around 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.
INSTRUCTION: N/A
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Weather Topic: What is Graupel?
Home - Education - Precipitation - Graupel
Next Topic: Hail
Graupel is a form of precipitation that is created by atmospheric conditions
which cause supercooled water droplets to contact snow crystals and freeze to
their surface.
Sometimes known as soft hail or snow pellets, graupel is delicate and easily
destroyed by touch. Whereas hail usually falls during severe weather, graupel
doesn't require such conditions to form, and can form in mild precipitation
similar to situations which produce snowfall.
Next Topic: Hail
Weather Topic: What are Hole Punch Clouds?
Home - Education - Cloud Types - Hole Punch Clouds
Next Topic: Mammatus Clouds
A hole punch cloud is an unusual occurrence when a disk-shaped
hole appears in a cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, or altocumulus cloud.
When part of the cloud forms ice crystals, water droplets in the surrounding area
of the cloud evaporate. The effect of this process produces a large elliptical
gap in the cloud. The hole punch cloud formation is rare, but it is not specific
to any geographic area.
Other names which have been used to describe this phenomena include fallstreak hole,
skypunch, and cloud hole.
Next Topic: Mammatus Clouds
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