East Slopes Central

Travel conditions have improved with a few inches of newer snow, but expect various degrees of breakable crust near the surface. Coverage is still shallow at lower elevations so be aware of boulderfields, creeks, and downed trees. Consider using summer trails and roads for access while the tide is low.

Expect more valley fog with increasing high clouds on Thursday. Winds have ramped up a bit, and an observer on Mt Maude found heavily wind affected snow near ridgelines on Wednesday(see photo below). With evidence of wind drifting from high alpine ridges, keep small wind slabs on your radar if you make it above 6,000ft. Look for shooting cracks in wind stiffened or drifted snow to clue you into this concern. On Wednesday an observer near Mission Ridge reported the new snow had improved the ski conditions a little, though sun and warm temperatures made for sticky riding conditions in the sun. Tuesday's storm ended with a flash of rain, and some surface hoar was noted above a thin rain crust there. 

With continued warm temperatures and some sunshine, look for small rollerballs and the slight potential for a small wet loose sluff on steep slopes facing the sun. If you see these then adjust your travel plans accordingly. The zone has picked up a couple rounds of a couple inches in the past week, but the December 9-10th was the last significant snowfall. This storm ended in a light rain or freezing rain up to about 6,500ft. Since then, inversions have dominated the eastern valleys, with cold temperatures underneath a fog layer, and warm temperatures (up to 40 F) with mostly sunny skies at upper elevations. 

We have limited information about the snowpack at upper elevations but here is a quick run-down: Beneath the few inches of new snow a crust from December 10th extends up to  7,000ft, or 6500ft further north in the zone. In the Icicle Drainage, observations from the weekend found the near surface crust dissipated above ~6,700ft.  On Monday I found about 1" of weak faceted snow over a translucent freezing rain (trap) crust below 4500ft in the Icicle. Above 4500ft, the surface was a melt-freeze crust from the warmer temperatures, and travel was a bit better on skis. Overall, coverage is thin and many areas are still quite difficult to access. You may find exposed boulderfields and rocks on many slopes, so consider using summer trails and/or roads for access.

You can contribute to the forecast! Let us know what you found by submitting an observation HERE.