Northern San Juan
SnowpackColin Mitchell · Apr 1, 2020 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Clear skies in the morning gave way to mostly cloudy skies by midday. Temperatures topped out around 40 degrees at pass level. West winds ramped up during the day and were steady in the 10-20 mph range at pass level, stronger at ridgetop. No blowing snow observed.
Snowpack
Yesterday's dramatic warm-up initiated a round of loose snow and a couple of tiny slab avalanches on S-E aspects at all elevations. These slides were reported by public yesterday. No new activity was observed in highway paths or the surrounding terrain today. The warm temperatures and sunshine have consolidated and settled the recent snow and saturated the upper layers of the snowpack. The snow surface is a melt-freeze crust in our lower elevation and roadside paths. I don't expect much more loose snow activity from these highway paths in the near future, with the possible exception of Mother Cline.