Northern San Juan

Snowpack

Jeff Davis · Mar 26, 2021 · Northern San Juan

Weather

Snow showers continued on and off throughout the day. Brief periods of heavy snowfall followed by sunshine. Temperatures were in the mid to high 20's at pass level. Winds light to moderate at upper elevations starting southwest and shifting to the northwest as the storm left the area.

Snowpack

1"-4" of snow fell across the 550 corridor today with the heaviest snowfall south of Silverton. So far Storm 28 totals (not including today) are Red 16"/1.2"; Monument-10.5"/0.8"; Moles-13"/0.85"; Coal Bank 21"/1.65". Warm temperatures at pass level allowed the new snow to bond well to the existing surfaces which were mostly crusts and rapidly settled the snow during breaks in the storm. Digging in West Lime 16" of new snow sits on a firm curst and the new snow was not reactive in snow stability tests. On some steeper rocky slopes consistent sluffing during the past 48 hours has kept volume down, but filled in the ditch. At this time the new snow does not pose much of a danger to the highway, but will be an issue with the warming trend over the next week.