Observation: NWAC Forecaster

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Weather Summary

Some dark and ominous clouds early gave way to sunny skies throughout the day. Cool breezes near ridgelines helped the snow stay a bit harder than lower off the ridge.

Avalanche Observation Comments:

Saw a few rollerballs and small chunks of cornices that had failed recently, but no real avalanches. Cornices are trimmed way back.

Snowpack Observations

The snowpack contains a wide mix of surfaces depending on aspect and elevation. Even sunny slopes were firm first thing in the morning due to an overnight freeze. Slopes that see direct sunshine warmed quickly throughout the day and I was able to plunge into the snow 24 cm with my boot easily. Sometimes this required kicking away a 4cm surface crust before I could get to the softer snow below. The lower the elevation, the softer the snow was. On shadier slopes, there was a mix of firm surfaces, breakable crust, and some discontinuous wind buff. The ridgelines are melted back much further than I expected, as are rocky mid-slopes.