Northern San Juan

Snowpack

New snow from the previous two days sits on old melt freeze crust layers. New snow totals measured a trace to 5 inches. Wind loaded drifts measured up to 18 inches on lee slopes and in terrain depressions above treeline. Loose sluff avalanches released on steep east facing terrain by mid day today. These sluffs where naturally triggered and ran from steep rocky outcroppings for upwards of 1000 feet. New snow, colder temperatures and partly to mostly cloudy skies kept the upper snowpack frozen preventing wet avalanches today. Moist snow still remains buried beneath the frozen surface crusts on most aspects near and above treeline. A day or two of warm temperatures can melt the surface snow raising the concern for wet avalanches. A few avalanches were observed on north facing terrain below treeline. These slides may have released during the rain on snow event from earlier in the week.