Isolated Surface Hoar found in Powder Valley

esharp , Tuesday 24th December, 2024 6:15AM

We walked up Powder Valley today to gather field observations to support the Highway Avalanche Forecast. We dug a test at around 1100m to inspect the crust that formed in early December. Inland regions have seen less snow over the last two weeks than White Pass, and there is only about 10cm of well-settled snow over the crust, which was faceting. More interesting was the 10mm well-preserved surface hoar we found sitting directly above the crust. Obviously, this is just one pit, so I have no idea how widespread this layer is, but it's a good reminder that Powder Valley often sees surface hoar development early in the season. Tutshi Lake often doesn't freeze until well into January, and the open water can lead to local areas of higher relative humidity in the Powder Valley, Paddy Peak, and Mount Tutshi areas, which in turn can cause surface hoar growth during periods of cool, clear weather—especially when winds have been light, as they were earlier this month. I'm not saying it's a concern, but it is something to be curious about if you head out that way.