Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Weather in the Tatoosh was quite wet today with some localized clouds providing significant mist through much of the day. Instead of blowing snow on shaded aspects, we saw signs of potential wet avalanche problems and a very wet upper snowpack. Near ridgeline at The Castle there was a zipper freezing rain crust with dryer snow below, but starting 2-300' below ridgeline the zipper crust disappeared and the snow was just wet, heavy, and grabby. South facing aspects were similarly wet, but with faster sliding proto-corn/breakable crust and ~2" of newer snow over a supportable crust.

Digging through the upper snowpack at 5800' in the N-Facing bowl E of The Castle, there was ~12cm of fist hard wet snow over a stout 6 cm crust. Below the crust was a 8-10cm layer of what looked to the naked eye and reacted like ~1mm facets.