Quick report
- Red Flags
- Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>A rising avalanche hazard with strong winds and moderate to heavy snowfall should increase the danger of new snow instabilities and sensitive drifts. Wind drifted snow was developing along the ridge lines, but I was not finding too much issue yet as the storm was just getting going. </p>
Not a great photo of the pretty firm crust that is out there anywhere the sun has gotten to. It is getting a little harder to find the soft settled snow, but poke around in the trees and I was finding decent conditions.
This snow pit on a northeast facing slope around 10,000' looks pretty good. There are a few heat crusts near the top which is expected this time of year where the sun is hitting this slope and then some nice solid one finger dense snow nearly to the bottom where it gets slightly more sugary, but not too bad.
Changing snow and avalanche conditions today with gusty southwest winds and moderate snow starting this morning.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>I would imagine a fresh round of sensitive wind drifted snow along the ridge lines. There was enough new snow for the gusty winds to whip up some soft drifts that would crack and these should get deeper and more reactive as the snow and wind continue.</p> <p>The storm was looking pretty good while I was up today and there could be some new snow issues as the snow stacks up and falls on some slick surfaces.</p>