Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Wind Loading, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Snow pits at 9000 feet on WSW and NNE had identical HS at around 75 cm, yet structure was drastically different. NNE aspect indicated poor snowpack structure with 7 cm of basal facets. See photo of pit profile. WSW snow pit had a more consolidated homogeneous right side up snowpack, and test results were all negative. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>No significant slabs observed in the limited areas traveled today, yet early observations obviously indicated multiple incidents of wind loading and hard slab development, as well as accidents. Forecast for additional snow and significant wind appear to indicate a rising/escalating danger for Sunday. </p> <p>Storm Slab potential appears likely and with the contributing factors of wind loading this problem may be an issue by mid day on Sunday. As well, additional loading for new snow and wind most likely will promote the need to put Persistent Slab back on the problem list by the end of the day Sunday and into Monday if the forecast verifies for substantial water weight added to the isolated areas holding weak faceted layers. And, this may include those outlying areas outside of the upper Cottonwoods with shallow faceted snowpacks, as well as any possible areas that held onto the widespread weak surface snow that was observed as late as yesterday afternoon. </p>
Extremely variable snow surfaces out there with very limited soft settled dense old powder to be found. Zipper crusts on southerlies are mixed with abundant wind crusts and slabs. Of note, the widespread SH observed on Friday took a big hit with the temperatures from the past two days as well as todays winds.