Northern San Juan
AvalancheAmy Pertuz · Mar 31, 2020 · Northern San Juan
Weather
Clear skies today with high solar radiation. Steady, moderate breezes out of the NW and W in the morning slowed early warmup, but warming became intense mid day and breezes tapered. Blowing snow seen pluming off ridgelines this morning.
Snowpack
The 6-8” of new snow from yesterday seen above 11,200’ remained cold during the morning and was assisted by steady, moderate NW and W winds, but by mid day the temperatures soared, snow thickened, and surfaces were moist or wet on all but the highest elevation slopes. A wet loose cycle was seen on Easterlies, Southerlies, and Westerlies. The winds also rearranged snow near ridgelines in many places before noon. Evidence of water percolating through the snowpack was seen in numerous locations below 11,300’. Skiing was good in the morning but snow would have been goopy and treacherous by afternoon.
Avalanche
Various wet loose. Two fresh, shallow slabs seen in the vicinity of Spirit Gulch in the afternoon. Both appeared isolated to recent storm snow. One was on a S aspect ATL in a rocky feature that looked wind loaded. SS-N-R1-D1.5 (estimated) 12,700’. The other was by the Barstow mine, SE aspect NTL, planar slope. SS-N-R2-D1.5 (estimated) 11,500’