Southern San Juan
AvalancheMark Mueller · Mar 21, 2020 · Southern San Juan
Weather
Cloudy skies with scattered snow showers early. Cloudiness diminished as the day progressed, the sun came out and temperatures warmed significantly. A thunderstorm rolled through late in the afternoon with a brief period of heavy snow. 2" of new snow with 0.2" of water content this morning. Storm total of 18" with 1.6" of water content.
Snowpack
Traveled on N-E-SE aspects near and below treeline. Signs of instability were limited to harmless, triggered shallow slabs within the new snow on recently windloaded terrain at treeline. Found harmless sluffing on steep northerly terrain below treeline. Sizable cornices have formed during the recent storms. These should be given a wide berth. Sunny skies and warm afternoon temperatures produced numerous wet rollers, but no wet snow avalanche activity.
Avalanche
Visibility was fair, no recent natural avalanche activity was observed along the highway corridor and in the distant Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness areas.