Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Dug around in some of the more shallow places in Mill Creek and it is quite variable. I found places over 3' in depth and as little as 20" with nothing but facets. These shallow zones are lacking a cohesive slab on top, but this weekend's forecasted heavy wet snow should increase the avalanche hazard. Not a lot of snow to blow around, but the moderately gusty southwest winds were finding what snow there is and drifting onto the lee ward side of north facing slopes.</p>
The snow surface was a mix of dense loose and rough textured snow in Mill Creek today.
One of the more shallow areas in Mill Creek and not representative of all places in the area. In this location, it was nothing but loose weak sugary faceted snow. The approaching storm should add a cohesive slab on top of this weak structure and create dangerous avalanche conditions.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>A fresh round of wind slabs should develop out ahead of the next storm for this weekend. </p> <p>Strong winds and heavy wet snow this weekend will add weight to the snow pack over loading the buried weak sugary snow and likely create dangerous avalanche conditions.</p>
Areas of dense settled snow can be found in very sheltered places, but generally the winds have been all over the place creating some rough riding and turning conditions.