Quick report
We found that new wind slabs were already trending toward unreactive at mid-day though ski patrol did get some large wind slabs to fail with explosives. Warm temperatures are encouraging roudning and sintering, at least in the upper snowpack. Wind slab instabilities are likely to be limited to 24 hours or so in these weather conditions. We watched several steep wind loaded aprons and couloirs receive human trigger testing with no results.
Weather
- Air Temp
- 28
- Cloud Cover
- overcast
- Wind Loading
- moderate
- Recent Snowfall
- 25
- Snow Avail For Transport
- moderate amounts
Periods of S2 (inch an hour) with consistent S1 most of the day above about 8k. Strong winds (30-40mph+ in RV Bowl) transporting snow at 9k even in relatively sheltered locations. Te,mps were warm in the upper 20's above 9k, near or above freezing blow 7k.
Snowpack
Snowpack was largely right side up with the few exceptions seen in the profile. The layer to watch is the Christmas crust which continue to show a tendency to propagate a crack, in this case stubbornly, down almost a meter. ECTP28, Q1 shear. A thin crust from a period of misting rain on the 3rd exists down about 25cm. This layer is very thin but should also be checked for faceting if it still exists during the next clear, cold spell.