Quick report
Conditions are overall quite variable on micro and macro scales across the mountain. Wind ripples have made some of the previously consistent terrain less uniform. Snowpack stability at all elevations remains good. One thing to watch are overnight temperatures near 10,800' feet. At this elevation band, the temperatures last night stayed above freezing and if this pattern repeats itself, wet loose avalanches may be possible below treeline tomorrow. The wind and slightly lower temperatures today delayed and reduced the softening of the snowpack. The snowpack is continuing to melt out along travel corridors requiring more creative navigation or rock walking, but conditions from the HT saddle into the ski area remain adequate for top to bottom descents.
No signs of instability observed.Weather
- Air Temp
- 35
- Cloud Cover
- few
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Mostly clear and sunny skies. Winds out of the south, these picked up in the afternoon with gusts of approximately 50 mph on the Humphrey/Agassiz ridgeline. The wind chill was likely around 10-20 degrees.
Snowpack
The freezing temperatures overnight above 10,800 had a more widespread affect on slopes today. In general surface conditions were hard with minimal surface melt on anything but south facing slopes. Little wind deposition was noted today, but some blowing snow was observed. The high winds this afternoon will likely have only a minimal surface effect on melt-freeze aspects, but may further harden and remove deposited snow on north slopes. By 2:00 pm wide open upper elevation slopes were already showing increased wind affect and anti-tracks. The snowpack above 11,500 remained cold today with 10 cm below surface tempers below 0 degrees Celsius. Winds in the inner basin were more moderate but were keeping snow surfaces cold. They did not soften up to the extent of Thursday. No active wind drift formation or wet slab avalanches were observed.