Northern New Mexico

Last week's snow rests on top of facet and faceted crust layers that formed during the January dry spell.  At upper elevations on west to north through east aspects is where you are most likely to trigger a persistent slab avalanche.  Use caution on slopes steeper than 35 degrees where you find a stiffer more cohesive slab, paying attention to obvious wind drifted pillows that may feel hollow and drummy. These persistent slab avalanches could break widely across a slope and be over 2 feet deep.  Evaluate snow and terrain carefully, identifying features of concern.

Warm sunny weather during the day and colder clear nights have mainly been the theme over the last week.  Northerly winds have been light with brief upticks in speeds typically in overnight hours. Today will be another warm day with temperatures climbing into the 30's and low 40's under partly cloudy skies and moderate NW winds with gusts in the 40 mph range.  A quick-moving system will push into northern NM later today into tonight bringing a chance of light snowfall with only a couple of inches forecasted this evening.       

Last week's significant snowstorm that brought 2 to 3 feet has been settling over the last week with weather stations are showing a decrease of 12 to 15".   Big temperature and solar swings with warm sunny days and cold clear nights have helped keep the upper portions of the snowpack soft and faceted. In recent travels, we haven't been noticing obvious signs of instability like shooting cracks or loud audible collapses. Long column tests have produced a mixed bag of results with non-propagating slab fractures to moderate to hard force with full propagation on the weak layer of concern which is facets and faceted crusts that formed during the January drought prior to this last storm.  Specific areas that have seen recent wind have stiffer more cohesive slabs and are more likely to be able to propagate which is why we are leaving a Moderate avalanche danger above treeline.    Taking the time to dig down a couple of feet into the snow is a great way to identify if this slab weak layer combination exists and is able to propagate. 

Thankfully over the last week of high pressure, we've been spared from very strong winds, which has helped keep surprisingly soft powder conditions on many slopes. With increased NW winds today we could see a stiffening of the snow surface at upper elevations. On the leeward sides of ridgelines and in cross-loaded terrain was where we were finding soft wind-affected snow from soft sastrugi to more supportable hollow-sounding slabs. Very steep northerly aspects that have been protected from the wind have the potential for small loose snow sluff's that could entrain enough snow to take you off your feet. This could be problematic in high-consequence terrain sweeping you over a cliff or pushing you into places you didn't intend to go especially in steep couloirs.   

Southerly aspects, some west aspects, and lower elevations below treeline have felt the impacts of warm sunny weather over the last week and have melt-freeze crusts on the surface and are quickly melting away.  Soft powdery snow continues to remain at upper elevations and on northerly aspects making for good skiing and riding conditions.