Observation: Public

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

Observations

Weather: Stayed cold with below-freezing temperatures above 3000 ft. Moderate W winds. Increasing cloud cover as the day progressed.

Below 3000 ft we found wet snow, above freezing temperatures, and some loose wet activity on steeper solar slopes. At upper elevations we found colder snow and deep trail-breaking. As we traveled throughout the terrain ( mostly NTL/BTL) we were not receiving any direct feedback pointing at instability, until we dug a pit. In a test pit we found a fairly weak structure with the 1/13 crust/facet layer remaining weak and the 2/11 layer showing results.

In this location the 1/13 layer is buried 105 cm deep. Its a crust sandwich with weak snow above and below. A deep tap test showed DTM 11 SP, 105 cm down. These are 2 mm well developed facets.

The 2/11 layer is roughly 45 cm down. At this location this layer was in form of a thin crust ( easy to miss). On this layer we got CTM 19 SP, 45 cm down.

As the day progressed we noted increasing winds and found the new snow being transported by the West winds.