Vail & Summit County
AvalancheJason Konigsberg · Apr 1, 2016 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Broken skies for most of the day clearing in the afternoon. The sun made it through the clouds numerous times heating the snow surface. Wind-loading was moderate in the morning hours with gusts in the twenties.
Snowpack
The strong spring sun heated the snow surface on southeast through west aspects this afternoon even though it was only out for short periods of time. No wet loose signs of instability.---The north wind transported a lot of snow this morning on to lee aspects as well as cross-loading terrain features and depositing slabs of wind-drifted snow down-slope. Above treeline the wind slabs were hard and stubborn. Near treeline the wind slabs were soft and small test slopes that were close to 40 degrees would collapse. Tomorrow wind slabs will be stubborn on south and southwest slopes. A person could still possibly trigger a Wind Slab avalanche in steep terrain especially on east and southeast slopes that didn't see as much heating today.---Upper northerly start zones are mostly scoured back to old snow surfaces from prior to the last storm.
Avalanche
No avalanches observed anywhere even with significant wind loading.