Observation Date
12/25/2020
Observer Name
Staples
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline
Location Name or Route
Scott Hill to West Monitor
Comments
Two things stand out from today.
- Numerous large collapses tells me that you can still easily trigger an avalanche on old faceted a snow from early December and November.
- There may be a new faceted layer forming on sunny slopes. The top 1 cm of snow was dry and cold while there was a very fragile crust just under it. Mostly this faceting is a product of radiation recrystallization. It could also be a product of the heating a cooling between day and night. With clear skies the snow surface can get much much colder than air temperatures.
Photo below of these facets. They are very small and can easily be destroyed before they are capped by new snow.
Video
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates