Quick report
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>None</p>
Snow surfaces a mixed bag and wildly variable.
Upper elevation norths most suspect as they still hold weak surface snow (although cloud cover and warmth have rounded off some of these edges with sintering noted). However, I did kick off a few very minor facet sluffs in steeper north terrain, indicating weak surface snow.
Low and mid elevation norths dampened today due to the warmth and overcast skies. (Tree bombs and rollerballs attest to this and it was easy to make a snowball on many slopes.) Initial warm storm should bond fairly well to these snow surfaces.
Other aspects host warm and corrugated wind and melt freeze crusts where bonding should be favorable.
Feb 7 crust only noted to have facets above in low elevations (now capped with thermal crust) where cold temps have rotted away the superficial snow. Don't expect this to be a player.
Bottom Line: storm snow should bond fairly well except in localized upper elevation northerly terrain. This may be, however, all academic depending on precipitation intensity and wind loading.
Snowpack
"Variable" would be a polite way to put it. MF crusts never softened for the uptrack but at least the soft settled powder on the norths up to about 10k dampened and became excessively slow and grabby. It's possible that I would have skiied faster downhill with my skins on.
Larger diameter particulate matter from Monday's wind noted on many aspects and a brown hue glazes many snow surfaces. This may play into the warmth/albedo regarding tonight's storm.