7 inches of new snow has fallen in lower North Creek with 5 inches at Camp Jackson. The new snow has been accompanied by strong southwest winds increasingly the likelihood for human triggered avalanches involving wind drifted snow on leeward slopes. The underlying snowpack structure is very poor in these areas and deeper, human triggered avalanches failing on weak layers of loose, sugary, faceted snow are possible. Southelry aspects have very thin snowcover and human triggered avalanches in these areas are unlikely.

The Abajo mountains still suffer from thin snowcover, but what snow exists is poor in structure meaning that a dense slab exists over weak, sugary, faceted snow. See this observation from March 8. This stucture exists on northerly aspects that have held snow all season, and human triggered avalanches are possible in these areas. Sunny aspects have very thin snowcover and grass is still poking out in most areas.

Photo illustrates poor snowpack structure with strong snow over top of weak, sugary, faceted snow. Photo courtesy of Carrie, Cory, and Matt.

Photo of an Extended Column Test illustrates the snowpack's propensity for human triggered avalanches. Score was ECTP22.

NWS forecast for the Abajo Mountains.

Snow totals and temps at Buckboard Flat (8924')

Snow totals and temps at Camp Jackson (8858')