Observation: NWAC Forecaster

All Observations

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
January 11, 2023
Submitted:
January 11, 2023
Observer:
NWAC Forecaster - Matt Primomo
Zone or Region:
Stevens Pass
Location:
SPMR periphery

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
Isolated
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Media/Attachments

Sheltered terrain where the Xmas crust was relatively shallow, with noticeably weaker snow just above it. N at 5,300ft
Profile N at 5,000ft showing clean underside of block that failed with sudden collapse, CTH.
Closeup of rounded facets just above the Xmas crust. From Profile on a N aspect at 5,000ft
Surface hoar layer beneath a thin drizzle crust. N at 5,000ft.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Obscured

Snowpack Observations

Looking around between 4800ft and 5,600ft on northerly aspects I found 10-15cm of recent snow over a layer with scattered, small surface hoar-Jan 9th? This was somewhat reactive with isolated cracking around skis on undercut slopes, and broke easily with tilt tests.

Down 25-30cm was a layer that corresponds to the Jan 4th layer further east with a thin drizzle crust marking it's location. 2-6mm surface hoar could be found just underneath this crust. Tilt tests would fracture on it with hard force.

A very thin layer of rounding facets (.5-1mm, 1F) were found just above the blue ice crust from Xmas. On a north aspect at 5,000ft this layer was down 56cm, and test results were CTM SP, CTH SC on it.

WordPress Lightbox