Front Range
SnowpackBrian Lazar · Mar 27, 2015 · Front Range
Weather
Strange weather day. The valley was overcast in the morning, and then the cloud deck hung at and below pass level. At the top of the pass at 9:00, sky totally obscured as we were in the cloud. Small amounts of surface riming evident and actively occurring. Skies eventually broke up shortly after noon yielding to partly cloudy skies. Moderate winds out of the north all day.
Snowpack
The 16-18" of recent storm snow has now settled to around 8-10" or so. There is a new surface crust on all but north aspects near and below treeline. The Wind Slab problem has run its course, and is no longer a problem except maybe in very isolated E facing slopes just below cornices ATL, but even here I couldn't get anything to move. The ATL slopes have been scoured clean or have a thin wind crust. E,S, and W aspects have a thin (1-2cm) surface crust from the brief period of warmer temps and sunshine from yesterday. Some riming this morning likely added to the surface crust. Lower elevation north-facing slopes were still soft with no crust. Below the surface crusts is 8-10" of F hard recent storm snow that was still dry and soft in the morning. The crusts were breaking down and recent HST was getting moist by this afternoon except ATL where winds kept the surface cool enough to inhibit melt. Below the recent storm snow is the older crust from before the storm. Still stout and 10-15cm thick.