Observation: NWAC Forecaster

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

S1 most of the day with snowfall tapering in the late afternoon. Slight warming from UV filtering through clouds. Calm even at ridgeline.

Avalanche Observation Comments:

Nothing beyond a few natural dry loose (D1) in steep terrain and old, partly filled-in crowns.

Snowpack Observations

The top meter was observed as right side up as it gets in wind sheltered terrain NTL. 20cm of F new snow with a visible old/new interface. Storm snow from March 1-4th 4F progressing to P+. Tilt test to highlight old/new interface produced a clean shear with a half-dozen taps. The upper layer just fell apart when separating to look for FC or SH at the interface.

The crust on solars - now the south half of the compass - below the new snow was supportable. No wind and no wind slabs in observed terrain but it wouldn't take much wind to build shallow slabs. A warming trend with or without more snowfall would likely form shallow slabs as well.

Old P wind slabs in exposed areas were found unreactive. Probing showed MLK crust down ~180cm.

Cornices are above average massive and will be very destructive when they fall down.