Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Gusty winds at times were finding enough loose snow to blow and drift onto north through east facing slopes. No big issues in my travels early this afternoon, the wind drifts that were forming were of the soft slab variety, shallow and breaking at your skis and sleds. I would anticipate these to become more widespread and unmanageable as the storm develops. Still many areas with a shallow and weak snow pack, in those places where a slab is present, it seems a little relaxed and not reactive. Snow pit tests did not produce any alarming results. This will likely change with the forecasted storm</p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>I would anticipate fresh and sensitive wind slabs along the upper ridgelines on those slopes facing north through southeast as the storm intensifies.</p> <p>With each new snow and wind loading event the area appears to go through a decent natural avalanche cycle, overloading the shallow and weak snow pack areas. Many slopes hang in the balance waiting for a trigger. </p>
Not much change in the conditions out there this afternoon, the 3" new snow did little to soften the hard frozen tracks in the popular riding areas.