Professional Observation
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
February 27, 2021Submitted:
February 27, 2021Observer:
TAC - Andy BondZone or Region:
Taos AreaLocation:
Strong Winds and Persistent Weak LayersSigns of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
None ObservedCracking?
None ExperiencedCollapsing?
None ExperiencedMedia
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
Partly CloudyTemperature:
15 - 30Wind:
Strong , WSunny but windy day with winds in the 30's gusting in the 50's. Snow was drifting with a little bit of transportation. Windward slopes were being stripped and eroded, in some cases back to bare ground.
Snowpack Observations
Strong west winds could be felt at all elevations with snow being transported at ridgetops. Above treeline we were finding stiffening slabs on the surface. Most solar aspects have a breakable crust from the recent warm temperatures and intense sun this time of year. Good soft powder skiing could still be found on N aspects in wind-sheltered areas.
Continue to find varying snowpack depths with some slopes well over 2 plus meters of snow and harder to impact facets near the ground. In shallower snowpacks weak layers continue to linger closer to the ground with the January and February slabs on top of these weak faceted layers. We continue to get these weak layers to fail with moderate to hard force with the ability to propagate.