Quick report
Clear and sunny days are a pleasant winter weather break. The current weather is creating differing surface conditions between sunny slopes versus shaded slopes. These differences will be important once buried with the upcoming weather system in the next day or two. While details on the changing weather - new precipitation type and amounts - are uncertain; there is confidence avalanche likelihood will increase with precipitation loading the current snow surfaces and existing weak layers near rain crusts.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Clear skies, cold temperatures in the shade, and relatively warm temperatures in the sun. Light to moderate ridgetop westerly winds. Good visibility along the Selkirk crest.
Snowpack
Current snow surfaces vary by aspect. Southerly slopes are slightly sun affected today but offer easier travel conditions with shallower ski penetration. Northerly shaded areas hold light dry snow, deeper boot or ski penetration, and a more consistent snow surface character. Shaded areas also currently hold 1 to 3mm size surface hoar on the surface, specific to widespread distribution within the shady realm.
At 6000 feet on a South East aspect, the snowpack height is 120cm (~4 feet). The same three crusts - 12/25 Grinch crust, 12/19, and mid-December Atmospheric River (AR) crust - were observed mainly consistent with other recent observations. Small faceted grains were observed (0.5 -1mm) above and below the 12/25 “Grinch” crust (1cm thick and K- hard). Snowpack tests showed consistent moderate force CT SC results right below the Grinch crust, down 20cm at this location. Harder force CT SC results were also observed in small facets below 12/29 crust, down 40cm.
Higher up near ridgeline at 6700 on a North East aspect a similar snowpack structure and test results were observed. The same three crusts were only slightly deeper, but the overall snowpack depth was much deeper, 250cm total height.
Notable differences at this 6700' location, versus 1st pit site are:
- Top 30cm F hard soft snow with CT5 RP, ECTN 5, down 15cm.
- Grinch sandwich crust, same 1cm thick but softer Pencil hard, with 1cm thick layer of small FC below and a thin 2mm breakable crust below this, sandwiching the FC in between. Mod force CT SC, ECTN, in FC down 32cm.
- This location held a much deeper snowpack below the AR crust. Here, there were easily identified surgery faceted grains (1.0mm in size and a 10cm thick layer of FC) below the 10cm thick P hard (decomposing) AR crust, down 80cm from the surface.