Sawatch
AvalancheBrandon Levy · May 12, 2019 · Aspen
Weather
Temperature this morning ranged from mid to upper 30's. Gusty, moderate wind from the NW was generally keeping the snow surface dry especially on the W facing slopes observed in the morning. Scattered clouds were building around noon but sky cover remained steady at SCT.
Snowpack
Dust on crust with TR-2" observed on top of a supportable (boots and skis) crust. HST from last week is a MFcr and the cold night on Friday and early Saturday morning did well to limit wet loose concerns for the time being. Freeze was observed to be ~40cms at 12000' on the W facing slopes above the road. Snow below the freeze is still wet and weak. HS ranged from 85cms on the old bed surfaces from the March Cycle above the grade to 245cm in drifted lower angled areas but was generally 130-150cms where it wasn't drifted or hadn't avalanched previously. Old crowns from March documented in previous obs were mainly at the 12000' elevation and on steeper slopes closer to the road.
Avalanche
no new LWa observed but some rollerballing in steeper terrain likely from Friday afternoon