The new snow may be more reactive than expected; especially on slopes where it has been wind loaded and is sitting on a layer of fragile surface hoar.
The new snow may be more reactive than expected; especially on slopes where it has been wind loaded and is sitting on a layer of fragile surface hoar.
FRIDAY NIGHT: 10-15 cm. snow, strong southwest wind, alpine temperature -7 C, freezing level below valley bottom.
SATURDAY: 3-5 cm snow, moderate west wind, alpine temperature -4 C, freezing level 1100 m.
SUNDAY: 3-5 cm. snow, light to moderate southwest wind, alpine temperature -7 C, freezing level 700 m.
MONDAY: Cloudy with potential flurries; 0-3 cm, light west wind, alpine temperature -6 C, freezing level 800 m.
Several large cornice falls have been reported over the last few days. Most of them did not trigger slabs on the slopes below. Several natural and skier triggered slab avalanches up to size 2 were reported on primarily east/southeast aspects at treeline and above on Tuesday.
Clear and sunny skies have formed new surface hoar (size 3-10 mm.) on all but solar aspects where a new sun crust has been formed. This new interface will need to be carefully monitored as it gets buried. New snow falling on this layer will be more reactive than previous storms where the new snow did not fall on a persistent weak layer. The early February rain crust is another prominent layer in the upper snowpack that requires monitoring, though there have been no recent avalanches on this layer. The lower snowpack is generally well settled and strong.
