Winter is back for those willing to travel into the higher elevations!
Snowfall, followed by strong, gusty winds, have created storm slabs in the Alpine and open Tree-line slopes.
These new slabs will become very reactive if/when the strong Spring-time sun shines on them!
The new snow will need time to bond to the old surfaces, especially where it sits over a firm crust on solar aspects. Use extra caution near ridge crests and lee features where deeper wind deposits will be more reactive. Expect natural avalanches on solar aspects when the Spring sun shines!
A field team in the Christiana Ridge zone was able to ski-control moist storm slabs on steep solar aspects. Though sluggish to start moving, these slow slabs gathered considerable mass, sliding on the April 9 melt/freeze crust.
In the Alpine and Tree-line 20-30cm of new snow sits over a firm crust on solar aspects and well settled dry snow on northerly aspects.
At tree line the snow depth is at a record low of around 220cm. The Feb 3rd crust/facet layer persists at upper elevations, buried down 80-140cm.
Below tree line is a well-settled spring snowpack with a strong surface crust that will break down during the heat of the day.
A brief clearing Wed, then flurries return Thur/Fri
Tonight: Clear, Alp low -8°C, light/gusting mod W winds, freezing level (FZL) 900m.
Wednesday: Mix of sun & cloud, light SW winds, Alp high -3 °C, FZL 1900m.
Thursday: Flurries, 5cm, Alp high -2°C, light SW winds, FZL 1800m.
Fri: Cloudy with isolated flurries, Alp high -2°C, light/gusting mod SW winds, FZL 1900m.
