Quick report
- Red Flags
- Cracking, Collapsing, Rapid Warming
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>We noted some localized cracking of the new snow around us up high as we flexed the rime-crust with body weight. I triggered a whumpf in a low angled meadow at around 8200'. It was our second visit to the spot and I was tapping snow off my ski with my pole when it occurred. There are a couple thin sugary weak layers made up of faceted snow within the upper couple feet of the snowpack in this area.</p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The whumpf I triggered is enough evidence for me that persistent slabs are possible.... The warming temperatures, wind drifting, fresh snow and rain at lower elevations could increase the danger in outlying areas. </p> <p>There are many areas in the Logan Zone with shallow and weak snow and resulting poor snow structure, and I distrust steep slopes where I suspect this to be the case.</p> <p>We triggered a small moist sluff entraining the few inches of fresh snow on an east facing slope... This one was quite manageable, but judging by the snow in the sun, other shallow point-release activity was likely on most sunny slopes with a few inches of fresh snow.</p> <p><strong>MINI BLOG: </strong> "Heat Related" would be a better term than "wet" describing the problems brought about by rapid warming of a still winter snowpack plagued by faceted snow. Of most concern to me are Persistent or Deep Slabs made more likely by increased creep rates in the upper layers of the snowpack, moistening of persistent weak layers consisting of faceted snow, and perhaps radiation and/or heat-caused softening of existing hard slabs. </p>
Lots of graupel within the new snow. Only a few inches of fresh snow capping Friday's rime-crust. Best powder conditions in the deep trees.