Just starting to show signs of wind loading, drifting and minor cracking. Sluffing on steep rolls with slick wind crusts under the new snow.
Observation: Turnagain
Location: Tincan Trees
Tincan skin track to 2300′
Observer Comments
Weather
Snowing throughout the day with periods of higher intensity. 2 inches fell from 11am-4pm.
ENE winds 10-20 gusting in the 30s.
Temperatures in the 20Fs at treeline. 32F at truck at 4 pm, dropped to 20 at Johnson Pass, 21 at Ingram. Interesting warm air on Turnagain Pass.
Snow surface
4-5" total of new snow by 4 pm. Started at 11 am with 2".
Snowpack
Objective of the day was to see if new snow was bonding with old surfaces and if winds were creating new wind slabs. Lots of quick hand pits throughout the day.
1st lap there was nothing of note. Surface hoar was found under new snow up to 1700', but not higher.
Second lap after a bit more accumulation and wind there was minor drifting, cracking and the snow was starting to act more slab like. On steep rolls that had slick wind crust underneath the snow easily stuffed off.
Overall not quite enough snow or wind yet to significantly affect the avalanche hazard. Stay tuned for tomorrow!
Looking back towards parking lot
Starting to drift and crack
tracks filling in between laps, wind moving snow
new rime on trees
sluffing starting on steeper rolls