Northern San Juan
SnowpackAnn Mellick Jeff Davis · Mar 6, 2021 · Northern San Juan
Weather
The day began clear, but thin clouds drifted over by late morning, filtering the sunshine and keeping temps a bit cooler today. Steady southerly winds near and above treeline kept the snow surface cool as well. Temps well below treeline were mild.
Snowpack
The snowpack on sunny slopes below treeline is visibly transitioning towards a more spring-like regime. A snow pit dug on a SE aspect at 11,400' had moist grains from top to bottom. The structure remains layered, but unreactive. The snow has stayed cold and wintry on north facing terrain below treeline, but it is increasingly unreactive in pit tests as well. Near and above treeline, the snow remains solidly in winter mode, with exception to steep fairly due south facing slopes, where some superficial melting has occurred. Winds have drifted recent storm snow and built cornices along both north and south facing lee ridgelines (due to wind direction shifts). Recent snow is sitting on very firm slabs from the rowdy wind storm on Feb 20/21 in the alpine. **Bottom line- conditions remain very mixed out there, and the snowpack has only JUST BEGUN its transition to a more springlike regime. It remains layered and in winter mode in most locales. While signs of instability are decreasing, we forecasters continue to make conservative terrain choices to avoid unpleasant surprises. We certainly do not trust it yet!