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Heads up for changing conditions and increased avalanche hazard today and into tomorrow!
Over the past 24 hours, approximately 23″ of new snow and 1.6″ SWE has accumulated since March 7 at Independence Mine Snotel (3550′). This rapid load will overload weak layers in the snowpack.
Storm Slabs, Dry Loose, and Deep Persistent Slabs will all be avalanche problems today and into tomorrow. Natural avalanches will be possible today and human triggered avalanches will be likely. See Saturdays forecast HERE.
The snow stake is officially BURIED!
Signal Word | Size (D scale) | Simple Descriptor |
Small | 1 | Unlikely to bury a person |
Large | 2 | Can bury a person |
Very Large | 3 | Can destroy a house |
Historic | 4 & 5 | Can destroy part or all of a village |
Natural storm slabs will be likely today at all elevations, on all aspects up to 2 feet thick.
Signal Word | Size (D scale) | Simple Descriptor |
Small | 1 | Unlikely to bury a person |
Large | 2 | Can bury a person |
Very Large | 3 | Can destroy a house |
Historic | 4 & 5 | Can destroy part or all of a village |
Dry loose sluffs will be large and fast today at mid and upper elevation on steep slopes where over 23″ of snow has accumulated in the past 24 hours at 3500′.
Signal Word | Size (D scale) | Simple Descriptor |
Small | 1 | Unlikely to bury a person |
Large | 2 | Can bury a person |
Very Large | 3 | Can destroy a house |
Historic | 4 & 5 | Can destroy part or all of a village |
Deep persistent slabs will likely be overloaded with an additional 23″ of new snow in the past 24 hours. Natural avalanches will be possible today and human triggered likely on all aspects at all elevations.
The weak January facet layer, which was reactive 3/3-3/4 is now buried 2-5 feet deep. This layer will be hard to detect in the snowpack unless you really like digging deep holes.
This avalanche problem may fail on slopes as low as 30º in steepness. Either a large load, such as a cornice failure or a snow machine, or a lighter load on a thin spot in the slab, such as a single person on foot, will have the greatest likelihood of triggering a large avalanche today.
NWS Rec Forecast here.
NWS point forecast here.
State Parks Snow Report and Motorized Access information here.
The Hatcher Pass Mountain Forecast covers the mountains in the Hatcher Pass Recreation Area. This forecast is for use in snow safety activities and emergency management. Today Tonight Temp at 1000` 25 F 16 F Temp at 3000` 23 F 14-22 F Chance of precip 100% 90% Precip amount (above 1000 FT) 0.45 in 0.18 in Snow amount (above 1000 FT) 6-10 in 3-5 in Snow level sea level sea level Wind 3000` ridges SE 5-25 mph SE 5-10 mph