Temperatures were slightly cooler over the last 24 hours with daytime highs reaching 43 ºF and lows 32 ºF. Winds were calm to light. The height of snow at the Old Ski Bowl remains steady at 72 inches. Snow depths seem to be holding well at Castle Lake, the Eddies, and Ash Creek Butte. However, moraines and ridges that have been blasted by winds have many exposed rocks.
Though you may be able to trigger some small, wet sloughs on the steepest, most sun exposed slopes, no overall concern for loose wet avalanches were observed yesterday below or above treeline.
Ski tracks and wind-textured snow are making it harder to find smooth areas of snow, but if you find it, 1-2 inches of soft atop firm snow has been found by mid-afternoon. Not much evidence of ice fall has been seen, but there is still plenty of rime plastered on the Red Banks. Climbers in boots only may post hole in places near and below treeline.
No notable instabilities in the snowpack have been observed over the last several days.
Spring-like conditions will continue ad infinitum - cold nights, warm days. Freezing levels look to be in the 7-8,000 ft range. High level, scattered and broken clouds may block some sun and keep snow surfaces firmer today. Expect calm to light northwest winds except in the most exposed areas above 10,000 ft where they may become moderate.
For the weather geeks out there, read the latest from the California Weather Blog for the latest summary and outlook.
