Worthington foothills

Stormy weather through the pass is making things look a bit more wintry while adding stress to a generally weak snowpack. Total snow depth is increasing steadily, and vegetation is starting to lie over a bit. Although the surface snow has a great consistency, there is still little in the way of supportable base in lower elevations. Ski penetration was 40cm, and boot penetration was 60cm. A weaker faceted snowpack with a layer of buried surface hoar under the new snow is increasing the likelihood for storm slab avalanches in the near future. Pit tests are starting to show reactivity at a depth of 45cm, where new snow overlies surface hoar. Reactivity is expected to be on the rise as the storm slab increase in depth and becomes more cohesive. 

Snowpack depth has increased to about 75 cm near road level in the observed area due to 45 cm of storm snow added over the last several days. Although relatively uncohesive, the storm snow is starting to show reactivity due to a buried layer of 2-4mm surface hoar underneath. An Extended Column Test (ECT) resulted in a fracture across the block at 13 taps ( ECTP13). Expect increased reactivity in areas where the storm snow has a slabby character. Continued loading by the current storm will stress our relatively weak snowpack over the next 24 to 48 hours. Expect decreasing stability with increasing chances of avalanche activity, especially in areas where wind has stiffened the snow into a cohesive slab (A likely situation in higher elevations).