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Professional Observation

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
March 3, 2022
Submitted:
March 4, 2022
Observer:
TAC - Andy
Zone or Region:
Taos Area
Location:
Lake Fork Basin

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Media

Warm temperatures and sunny skies over the last several days has resulted in a shrinking snowpack and melt-freeze crusts that quickly soften up throughout the day. There is an obvious dust layer that formed from the 2/22 wind event that is now visible on many solar aspects.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Overcast
Temperature:
34 - 51
Wind:
Light , SW

High clouds were helping limit some of the solar input today, not as warm as previous days, but still warm for the beginning of March.

Snowpack Observations

The persistent slab problem is showing signs of healing and becoming more difficult to trigger as we push further and further away from the storm last week. Stability tests were getting moderate to hard results on weak layers 1 to 3 feet down in the snowpack.

There were some visible small loose wet snow avalanches in steep terrain around rock bands on solar aspects. The snowpack varies greatly between upper elevations northerly terrain where we're finding cold dry snow. Solar aspects had melt-freeze crusts that were deteriorating throughout the day with warming temperatures.

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