Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading
The biggest issue for Sunday will be the continued winds, and you can expect to find fresh wind drifts on all aspects and elevations, although mostly in mid and upper elevation terrain. Wet loose was not an issue today as the winds kept the snow surface cool. Was finding some damp snow while exiting the bottom of Maybird Gulch at 1 pm, so it is possible by later in the afternoon there was more wet activity. However the winds were working into low elevation terrain and helping prevent the snow surface from warming.
Any weak snow at the surface is long gone. Given warm temperatures forecasted for Sunday, am expecting Sunday night storm snow to bond well with existing wind-buffed snow surface, and we'll only be dealing with storm snow issues for Monday.
Photo is ridgeline ascending from maybird to the top of the Hogum 200 where winds were making our already-huge cornices even larger!
Video of winds from mid elevation trees in Maybird Gulch. Despite the strong winds, we did find decent ski conditions.
Did see a recent natural in lower Coalpit Gulch. Unsure when this ran.
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>Fresh 1F and pencil-hard wind drifts. These were mostly 15 cms (6"), but some were up to 30 cms thick. Some would crack out several feet from my skis, others were not sensitive at all. Many of these drifts were supportable allowing you to get well onto the slab before cracking.</p> <p>However, such strong winds swirl and channel around terrain features, and often only deposit wind pockets. I was not finding large, connected wind slabs this morning.</p>
Widespread wind-affected snow on all aspects and all elevations. Winds were getting well-down off of ridges.