Vail & Summit County
SnowpackDrew Gibson · May 2, 2013 · Vail & Summit County
Weather
Cold this morning with temps in the single digits at the trailhead (8:00am) Once above tree line N winds were keeping things cool and beginning to transport snow lee to the North. The temps stayed cold today, but a warming trend will change the game.
Snowpack
The snow was light and dry in most places with accumulations from 8" to 18". Wind loading overnight was light based on wind speeds from surrounding weather stations and visual observations. Around noon a North wind picked up loading lee aspects. Very small cornices (less than a few feet) were very reactive and entraining only some (<12") of the storm snow on South aspects. The remainder of the storm snow seemed to be bonding well on ~34 degree slopes, S aspect slopes. The storm snow that is not sliding seems to be bonding to the old snow surface that that was greatly effected by the sun and warm temps earlier in the week. Snow below the old snow surface is still in winter mode, being cold and with multiple layers, showing it's not "Spring" yet. Multiple small sluffs were noted on N and S aspects. The little bit of storm snow that is still clinging to the old surface (not sluffing) is the next to go as the temps warm up.