Quick report
Today was a chilly, sunny day with a variety of surface conditions to explore. Of note, I was looking to see how much faceting has occurred as a result of the last couple days of very cold temperatures and a generally shallow snowpack.
I found large temp gradients over small amounts of snow between 9700' and 10500' on all aspects. Faceting is occurring above and below surface crusts and hard, wind affected layers, and throughout the entirety of the snowpack. Old WS and wind stiffened surfaces are decomposing/faceting above and below. MF crusts on solars are also decomposing/faceting above and below.
Isolated incidents of loose dry instability occurred on all aspects in areas where loose snow exists over a slick/supportable crust or wind affected layer.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 21/18
- Cloud Cover
- clear
- Snow Avail For Transport
- small smounts
Clear, cold day. Winds were not as prominent in this area as expected. Calm with infrequent gusts from the NE.
Snowpack
A look at the snowpack at 10,400', BTL, N in a very wind protected area. The theme of the snowpack here today is faceting between hard layers, and faceting overall due to very cold temperatures and strong temp gradients.