Vail & Summit County
AvalancheRyan Lewthwaite · Apr 28, 2020 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Many areas near and below treeline did not get a solid overnight refreeze. At 4:30am the temperature was 38F degrees at 9600'. Scattered clouds and moderate winds from the northwest made it feel cold. Snow was being stripped from exposed windward slopes.
Snowpack
In the early morning, slopes above 10K were icy with a breakable surface crust that was 3 inches thick. Moist snow was found below this surface crust. Northwest winds were scouring the slopes near and above treeline with moderate to strong gusts. Blowing snow was observed with shallow deposits on top of a firm melt-freeze crust. Above treeline terrain remained firm until afternoon due to wind and cloud cover. Afternoon sun effected slopes below treeline were heavy and wet. Loose wet avalanches were easily triggerable on slopes steeper than 35 degrees, on all aspects below treeline.
Avalanche
Small loose wet avalanches on sunny slopes over 35 degrees. Pinwheels and wet unconsolidated snow after 11:30am mostly underfoot.