The March sun can really pack a punch and destabilize the upper snowpack. Natural and human triggered avalanches remain possible and give overhead hazards like large and looming cornices a wide berth.
Looming cornices have grown large during the recent storm. They could pose threat from above and below and weaken when the sun is out.
30 to 60 cm of recent storm snow has blanketed upper elevations. The likelihood of triggering a storm slab increases in steep or convex terrain and in wind loaded areas.
The warm spring sun may easily trigger loose wet avalanches at all elevations, especially on south facing slopes.
Change is in the air with a strong ridge set up through the weekend. This will bring clear and sunny skies, light northerly wind, and rising freezing levels.
Thursday Night: Some cloud cover with light snowfall amounts near 10cm. Ridgetop wind light from the northwest. Freezing levels dropping to 800 m.
Friday/ Saturday: Sunshine with some clouds. Ridgetop wind light to moderate from the northeast. Freezing levels rise to 1500 m during the day.
Sunday: Sunny skies with freezing levels rising 2000 to 2500 m during the day. Ridgetop wind moderate from the North.
No new avalanches observed on Thursday. Poor visibility limited observations.
On Tuesday, numerous size 1 wet loose avalanches were reported at below treeline elevations. Poor visibility made for limited alpine observations. Check out this MIN Report for more details at the Mt. Cain area.
On Monday, our field team observed widespread natural avalanche activity size 1-2.5. A skier-triggered size 2 storm slab was reported at Mt Cain on Sunday in this MIN.
The recent storm snow is dry above 1500 m and has seen some wind affect, moist and wet exist below. An overnight refreeze will likely form a new surface crust capping the upper snowpack at lower elevations. Some areas may see a supportive crust and others breakable. The mid-February melt- freeze crust can be found approximately 80 cm beneath the surface with some spotty surface hoar crystals above. Snowpack testing showed hard and resistant planar results on the interface.
A well settled and strong mid and lower snowpack exist below.
