Quick report
- Red Flags
- Rapid Warming, Poor Snowpack Structure
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>The wet snow issues on the southern half of the compass seemed well behaved with only minor natural wet loose avalanche activity. On the north half of the compass, we should focus our attention on the weak faceted snow now buried and preserved 6-8 inches under the new snow. </p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>The mountains went through a small wet loose avalanche cycle within the past couple of days of direct sunlight and warm temperatures. It looked to me the wet snow avalanches were confined to the new snow and ran on top of old sun crusts (see pic 1). </p> <p>The January/February dry spell took its toll on our snowpack, especially on the shady mid and upper elevation slopes. Snow on 2/16 & 2/17 preserved the weak layer, and snow on 2/22 through 2/25 started building the slab. Currently, in the Provo area, we have roughly 6-8" of settled snow above a very loose and faceted weak layer. This new snow above the weak layer is all of February's snowfall. </p> <p> </p> <p>I don't think the 6-8" of new snow that sits above this weak layer is much of an issue now (unless you're on a wind-loaded slope). The bad news is the 6-8 inches of new snow buried and preserved this weak layer. The even worse news is once we get a large enough load, we will see a significant avalanche cycle on this layer. However, that will all depend on snow and water amounts in March. For now, it seems there is not enough weight on top of this layer to be much of a concern (see pic 2). </p> <p> </p>
Just a few inches of new snow in the Aspen Grove parking lot that was wet and manky. I made my way up to roughly 8,800; in elevation, and here I found approximately 20 cm (7.8 inches) of new snow. See pit picture. At almost all elevations in the shade, the new snow remains cold, dry powder. The sun took its toll on the sun-exposed terrain, and I would expect everything from southeast, south, and west facing terrain to be crusted in the morning.