Aspen
AvalancheBrian Lazar · May 21, 2022 · Aspen
Weather
Mostly cloudy to obscured skies, but the sun did poke through here and there with more sun as we past 11AM. Light southwesterly winds and cool temperatures in the 20s above 12,000 ft.
Snowpack
There was around 10 inches of new storm snow. The storm looks to have come in wet and is reasonably well bonded to the old, underlying crust below. The storm snow is lighter as it piles up. This snow quickly got moist with even brief periods of sun up to 13,500ft. This limited drifting snow to isolated areas right at ridgeline above 13,000 ft. Fresh wind-drifted slabs are not a concern. Main concerns are the new snow shedding off in small Loose Wet avalanches over the next 24 hours, and falling cornice chunks.
Avalanche
No new avalanches observed. Expect small Loose Wet avalanches later in the afternoon.