Mount Shasta

Overall avalanche danger is low. Use normal caution. High-elevation, isolated or extreme terrain could hold unstable new snow, though probably only enough to cause a slip and fall. Climbers should be alert and prepared for falling rock.

Last night's storm does not appear to have been very productive in terms of bringing snow to our weary snowpack. Precipitation came as rain or wet snow. High elevations may have received a couple of inches, though that is unconfirmed. Another inch is possible this morning. Small wind slabs might form up high, but they'd be isolated. Heck, many start zones above slopes of consequence are devoid of snow. But if you do encounter any wind drifts sitting atop old snow, be cautious on steep slopes nearby. Although a small wind slab would not bury you, it could cause you to slip and fall.

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And a bit a fun related to today, March 15th ...

Beware the Ides of March - famous words from a soothsayer that emerged from a crowd to warn Julius Caesar of his coming assassination on March 15th. Though this legendary omen was more of a creation of William Shakespeare, it has held true throughout history.

One famous unlucky event was on La Réunion island in the Indian Ocean. On March 15th, 1952, they experienced one of the rainiest 24 hour periods in recorded history - 73.62 inches. Though there does not appear to be much data about this event, we can put it into perspecive for Mount Shasta. If snow levels were near or below town, 73.62 inches of rain would translate to up to 736 inches of snow or 61 feet. As much as we need snow, this would undoubtedly be a disaster.

On March 15th, 1972, a blizzard in Iran dropped 26 ft of snow causing 200 villages to be buried in snow.

And of course, the saddest of all world events occurred on March 15th, 1971 - the cancellation of the Ed Sullivan Show.