Quick report
- Red Flags
- Recent Avalanches, Heavy Snowfall, Wind Loading, Cracking, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Numerous weaknesses within the new snow were observed and validated by snow pit tests. CTH SP scores indicated a faceted graupel layer buried 54 cm down, at the interface to the previous storm from the end of last week. Widespread cracking and easy shears with slope cuts were found either one inch up from the new snow/old snow surface, and or right at the old snow surface on the stout m/f crusts. Intense wind loading was observed on the highest exposed ridgelines. Rates of S4 were observed around 1400. Natural wind aided storm slab avalanches were observed E and NE facing terrain at mid and upper elevations. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>See above</p> <p>See above. </p> <p>Isolated areas considerable were occurring with the natural activity, but the majority of the terrain had a moderate danger. </p> <p>Rapid warming and intense April solar will likely ramp the danger rating up to considerable during the daytime heating on Wednesday.</p>
The new snow overnight was light density and by 0800 was 5 inches with another 9 during the daytime hours. The new snow was slightly inverted due to the mixed grains and graupel that fell at times. Low and moderate angled terrain rode slow due to the inverted snow, and you could feel the scratchy pre-storm m/f crusts on the steeper terrain. The vast majority of the W and NW facing upper elevation terrain had areas that were wind swept and or scoured.