Avalanche — Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys, Montana
February 28, 2014 · NOAA Storm Events record
Event narrative (NOAA)
Near record snowfall for the month of February and strong easterly winds associated with an arctic air mass intrusion, caused severe wind loading on the western slopes of Mount Jumbo between Feb. 27-28. A snowboarder triggered a hard slab avalanche on a west facing, 35 degree slope of Mount Jumbo during the late afternoon of Feb. 28. The snowboarder was caught and carried for several yards before he was able to get out by himself. The avalanche traveled at approximately 80 to 100 mph and caught two children, ages 8 and 10, who were playing in their backyard as it slammed into and destroyed a two story wood frame home built in 1975. One child was partially buried up to their armpits but not injured while the other was completely buried under 3 feet of snow. This child was later rescued, ta
Other notable avalanche events in Montana
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.