Big storm dumped snow south of the Flathead

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.