Investigate the bond of recent snow and older surfaces - in some areas it sits on a crust, and other areas possibly surface hoar.
Up to 20 cm fresh snow accumulated (in localized areas) with moderate winds. In some areas it sits over a rain crust, and other areas possibly surface hoar. This problem is likely confined to ridgelines and alpine features.
THURSDAY NIGHT: Cloudy, no new snow, light south east wind, alpine low -7
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy, trace amounts of new snow, light south east wind, high of -4 in alpine
SATURDAY: Sunny breaks, light southwest ridge top wind, alpine high temperature -6
SUNDAY: Flurries, trace to 6cm, light south wind at ridge top, -4, freezing level 1000m
No new natural avalanches have been reported. On Dec 9th there were some reports of ski cutting some size 1 storm slabs over the freezing rain crust in open treeline and alpine elevations.
Have you been out and about in the mountains? If so please submit to the Mountain Information Network (MIN). It doesn't have to be technical it can be as simple as a photo. Photos are especially helpful! Sending a big thank you to the already submitted MIN's this season!
Wednesday's storm deposited 8-20 cm of snow. At low to mid elevations early in the storm, light rain is reported to have destroyed some surface hoar and in most places left a freezing rain crust in its place before things cooled and covered it with the remaining storm snow.
There is less known about upper elevations where the new snow may sit on a variety of surfaces such as crusts, surface hoar and old wind affected snow.
The early November crust is sitting about 10-30 cm up from the ground. Uncertainty with this crust exists due to limited observations, but there haven't been any recent avalanches reported on this layer in this region.
Snowpack depths vary with elevation, treeline averages between 50-100 cm.
