Quick report
- Red Flags
- Wind Loading, Cracking, Rapid Warming
- Red Flags Comment
- <p>Cracking was observed on upper elevation terrain from down slope and cross loading. These areas had wind slabs from 2 inches thick to 10 inches thick, and despite the cracking these old wind slabs were mostly stubborn and unreactive. For Wednesday, the forecast for rising temperatures into the 40's at 9000 indicates an upward trend with the day time highs and subsequently creating weak uncohesive layers in the top 10 cm.</p>
Snowpack
- Instability Comment
- <p>As reported by others, wind slabs appeared to be the biggest concern. Though they appeared to have settled out significantly in the past 24 hours, there most likely are still lingering isolated consequential terrain features on a variety of aspects ranging from NE, NW through SW</p> <p>Wednesday should see more activity for Wet Loose, especially on the SE, S and W. Hard crusts are underlying the current snow fall on the SE, S and SW aspects, and these may help Wet Loose avalanches to run further.</p> <p>The large cornices that are out there may begin to shed again over the next 72 hours due to the forecast for excessive warm temps. </p>
Variable conditions exist with patches of wind swept/scoured in the exposed terrain in the upper elevations. Along with this there are isolated areas that are housing thick wind packed/settled powder. In the mid protected elevation areas there was good creamy 10 to 12 inch deep undisturbed powder riding. The sun appeared to have enough impact that it dampened S, SW and W aspects, and these will have m/f crusts of varying thicknesses on Wednesday. In all, the latest event has left at least 60 percent of the terrain damaged.