New and wind-blown snow will fall on weak, sugary snow and build isolated pockets of wind slabs at upper elevations. Shooting cracks or hollow-sounding surface slabs are signs of unstable snow. Be suspicious of steep slopes near ridgetops or in steep, rocky areas where you observe signs of wind-drifted snow.
Wind-drifted snow accumulating on weak, faceted surfaces near ridges and beneath cliffs is where you will most likely find instabilities. In certain areas, this new snowfall is also falling on surface hoar.
After a significant early snowfall almost three weeks ago, the weather remained cold and dry with snow on the ground faceting and turning weak. Though we appeared to be headed into in a dry pattern, models now show a series of weak storm systems that could bring small amounts of snow today and then again this coming weekend. Today's snowfall totals and wind are the critical detail you'll want to consider if you brave the thin snowpack to ski or ride. Areas to assess include wind-affected snow on steep, upper elevation slopes near ridges or beneath cliffs where the new snow is accumulating on the weak sugary facets or thin crusts on solar aspects.
Regardless of what you’re doing in the mountains, whether it’s going hunting, snowshoeing, getting some early-season turns, or breaking out the snowmobile, be prepared for a thin snowpack at midddle and lower elevations. Though the small amount of new snow will limit the size of avalanches, terrain traps can cause even tiny slides to result in serious injury or worse.
If you’re out in the mountains, please take a moment to submit an observation. Simply a photo showing terrain with snow cover and information on snow depths is very helpful.
