2009-2010 Colorado Snowpack Observations

[AfroMullet]

CAIC just started their observations and forecasts. Might as well start here, too.

Some Good Links:

CAIC Forecasts

RAMSDIS

Accidents

SNOTEL

[AfroMullet]

skied monarch last monday, 11/16.

basal facets quickly turning depth hoar, sun crusts, and lots of new snow. critical temperature gradient. poor test results.

not too much wind with the new snow, but still some wind slab formation.

surface hoar in shade, and some persistent even in sunny areas. (most likely not too much left now after all the warm sun)

be careful of surface hoar in north facing or shady areas with the next snow coming in tonight or tomorrow.

[Micol]

North Sawatch Range near Hwy 91
11.22.09
NW aspect, 11,800'
temps 24-28 deg
wind 7-10mph avg
wind slab on hoar
columns shear during isolation
comments: feels like playing in mom's
sugar bowl



base layer facets 2-5mm est*


Don't know why I bothered with this

[Tube Sag]

Bump and comments.
The word(s) of the week is. . . .deep instability!
So a few observations from myself and a few WP patroller friends from Berthoud/WP area over the last week. We received 9" of very light snow with moderate wind effect and loading overnight yesterday. Stuff is getting deeper, but covering a VERY weak lower pack. M

Three different patroller friends, after non-explosive control work on Backside of Winter Park, all commented something to the effect of "craziest thing I have ever experienced on snow." Massive settling in 100mx100m chunks, in the trees. Big collapsing of depth hoar layer, facets up to 8mm, as the windslabby "bridge" over the facets easily is breaking. So much air being knocked out of the snowpack with each woomph, little gysers were farting out the surface everywhere. I have never seen that before.
Also a couple of large natural releases in the cirque area, both full depth failures to ground, ATL, N- E aspects.
Upper/shallower snowpack skis great and no real noteworthy stuff other than a couple of old icy/surface hoar days hiding out not too far down. All in all though Scary house of cards stuff going on out there, be careful