Quick report
Loose Wet issue in steep terrain near and below rain line. Potential storm slab in specific locations where more snow fell. This seemed to be bonding to the old snow surface but would be concerned where previous snow surface (large standing SH) was left intact. Observed multiple natural Loose Wet avalanches in the size 1-1.5 range.
Weather
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Rain Elevation
- 5800'
- Recent Snowfall
- 10-15cm
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Precipitation fell on and off throughout the day. This was observed as rain below around 5800' and snow above. Between 12 and 2pm we experienced a break in the storm with no wind and no precip. Temps were close to freezeing but not directly observed. We expected to see evidence of wind transported snow but did not observe any in our limited travels.
Snowpack
Above 6000' all precipitation fell as snow. Below 6000' the surface of the snowpack was saturated with water. At 6900' there was 10-15cm of new snow. In one snowpit this snow was consolidated into a slab, in a different pit in a nearby location it was not. We had sudden planar results in out compression tests down 10-15cm with moderate force and our ECT's did not propogate.
Avalanche
- Size
- D1.5
- Type
- WL
- Count
- 2
- Aspect
- E
- Trigger
- N
- Elevation
- 5800 ft
While observing the first path on the Shooting Gallery we heard a large rumbling in the distance. There were multiple Loose Wet avalanches that ran on the steep terrain (>40*). These were likely in the D1.5 range. These naturals were initiating at a point in the steep rocking terrain near where the rain was transitioning to snow and entrained more snow as they traveled. The largest one that we could see is pictured below.