Professional Observation
Basic Information
Observation Details
Observation Date:
March 24, 2021Submitted:
March 24, 2021Observer:
TAC - Andy BondZone or Region:
Taos AreaLocation:
Ring Finger AreaSigns of Unstable Snow
Recent Avalanches?
YesCracking?
WidespreadCollapsing?
IsolatedMedia
Advanced Information
Weather Summary
Cloud Cover:
OvercastWind:
Moderate , ESnowing throughout the morning before tapering off. East winds were in teens and 20's at ridgetops and were easily transporting snow into thickening and stiffening slabs.
Avalanche Observations
| # | Date | Location | Size | Type | Bed Sfc | Depth | Trigger | Comments | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Today |
Peace Sign W |
D1 | SS | N-Natural | Visibility was difficult but did see debris out of the Peace Sign in the apron. Was not able to see the crown. |
|
We thought we noticed a crown on a cross-loaded slope across the valley, but with difficult visibility it was hard to tell.
Snowpack Observations
Skiing and riding is fantastic right now with close to 2 feet of powder.
There is a big difference between below treeline and higher elevations that are exposed to the wind. Overall, 16 to 20 inches of snow has fallen in the last two days that mainly sits on top of crusts that formed during the high-pressure period of sunny days and warm temperatures. Below treeline on wind-sheltered terrain, we were not noticing any instability within the new snow. In a pit on a west aspect around 10,500' there are weak wet facets in the mid-pack. We were getting this layer to fail with moderate force in compression tests.
Near and above treeline wind transported snow was creating stiffening slabs that were more reactive in our travels. We were getting shooting cracks and some loud audible collapses. We were finding slabs to be 2 to 3 feet thick resting on top of the obvious dust layer in the crust that proceeded this storm. In steep test slopes and stability tests we were getting the wind slabs to fail with easy force or off our ski tips on a density change just above the crust, most likely from the storm snow on Monday evening that came in with little to no wind.
Avalanche Problems
| Problem | Location | Distribution | Sensitivity | Size | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wind Slab
|
|
Wind slabs near and above treeline were continuing to build and stiffen. In stability tests, we were getting these slabs to fail on a density change above a crust from Monday evening snow.
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