Quick report
- Red Flags
- Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The height of warming appeared to have passed 24-48 hours ago in terrain we traveled. Small, surface-depth wet loose activity was observable on many solar aspects W-SW-S-SE appeared to run 1-2 days ago. Multiple pinwheels up to the size of bike tires were also observed, but were old enough to have refrozen since running. </p>
Small, natural wet loose activity.
One of the many refrozen pinwheels that ran 24-48 hours prior.
An old crown on a NNE aspect near 9500' that led to some speculation on a snack break. It likely ran during the height of the storm last weekend, close to the ground on weak old snow, and then was affected by the multiple days of above freezing temperatures.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The same structure for our persistent weak layer, well, persists. While I'd be surprised to see much natural activity at all on it with our current weather, the set up is still there for our next loading event...whenever that may be. </p> <p>The height of the wet snow problem seems to have passed, and it is worth removing from the forecast with the current incoming weather trend.</p>
Surfaces on all exposed aspects and elevations we traveled (7700'-10,000') had a melt-freeze crust from the several days of above freezing temperatures and barely below freezing temperatures in some areas in the mornings. The prevailing zipper crust makes for athletic ski conditions. The now faceting snow from last weekend's wet storm underneath the crust was damp enough to make snowballs, but remained dry at the interface with the old rain crust from prior in November. In select, sheltered northerly areas, pockets of faceted loose surface snow could be observed.