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Weather Summary

Passing, mid-level cumulus clouds provided some relief from the sun. Upper elevation winds were calm to light out of the southern half of the compass. Solar intensity is increasing by the day and it felt pretty warm in the sun, but air temperatures remained cool, estimated at upper teens to low 20s F.

Avalanche Observations

Avalanche Observation Comments:

Widespread avalanche activity in the Baker Creek drainage and in the portions of the Warm Springs drainage visible from upper elevations in Baker. General pattern seemed to be that slides on shaded aspects were failing earlier in the storm and slides on solar aspects failed later. Snowpack became significantly more complex with this storm, it is difficult to look at a crown and determine the culprit weak layer without visiting it directly. Saw evidence of slides that appeared to fail on new/old interface, mid-storm interfaces, and deeper in the snowpack.

Snowpack Observations

Primary goal was to determine the weak layer involved in large avalanches reported above Baker Lake. I visited the slide above Baker Lake, not quite down to the crown, which didn't seem advisable. Was able to safely make it down to the top of the hangfire above the crown where the slope had cracked and shifted. Depth ranged from 40-50cm here, some snow had been removed by the constant south wind during the storm and what remained was pressed into a 4F+ slab. A thin layer of 1-2mm facets was present on top of the 2-3cm thick MFcr below. Based on several other slides with a similar appearance, this combination is somewhat common in this area.

Surfaces on solars were melting yesterday and will have a crust today. The combination of passing clouds, cool air temperatures, and light winds were enough to keep wet loose problems at bay in the terrain I traveled in. Solars quickly refroze as the sun moved on. This should somewhat limit the amount of snow available for transport on these slopes, but a strong wind could break through the crust and find plenty of snow to move around underneath. A layer of small surface hoar appears to have formed at all elevations in the drainage last night. It was baked off on solars today but present on shaded slopes at the end of the day.