A long high pressure with freeze and thaw conditions has helped create a more stable and consolidated snowpack that has been compressing and shrinking the past few weeks. Cooler temperatures entering the area will contribute to more stable conditions as the snowpack continues to firm up.
Yesterday was a warm day and temperatures just barely got to 32 this morning. The cooler temperatures dropping below freezing and holding at or near freezing during the next few days will help stabilize the upper pack. Watch for any wet slides where things may have not froze up since yesterdays warmer weather.
Yesterday in the Cabinet Range we climbed up to 7700 feet and found mostly firm surface conditions with the hard southern and steep exposed areas becoming more rotten toward the later afternoon. With todays temperatures being around the freezing mark expect things to firm back up during the forecast and outlook period. Some light precipitation will be rolling through for the next few days, picking up up to 5 inches in the upper elevations where it comes in the form of snow. Otherwise it is expected to be light rain. We did not see much of any recent activity in the past few weeks but did see some point releases near shallow rocky areas and some glide cracks where the snow is warming near rocky areas and slowly pulling away.
