Professional Observation
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
January 2, 2021Submitted:
January 2, 2021Observer:
TAC - Andy BondZone or Region:
Taos AreaLocation:
Near TreelineSigns of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
None ExperiencedCollapsing?
IsolatedSnow Stability
Stability Rating:
GoodConfidence in Rating:
ModerateStability Trend:
ImprovingMedia
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
Partly CloudyTemperature:
10 - 20Wind:
Light , WWinds picked up this morning and were in the 10 - 15 mph range on ridgetops but just light W winds below ridgelines. Didn't notice any snow transporting.
Snowpack Observations
Went out today to work on a research project. We did get a slope to collapse and were finding weak faceted snow beneath a hard slab. Not much is changing with the snowpack structure. The most reactive layer right now seems to be the buried near-surface facets beneath the hard wind slab that formed on 12/23. This layer also seems to be to the culprit for many avalanches that ran naturally on Tuesday.
The snowpack has many faceted weak layers in it with the key communicating slab being the hard slab that formed prior to this last storm.