Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 12/19/2018
Name: Tom S
Subject: Anthracite Range
Aspect: North, North East, South
Elevation: 10300′ – 11,7500′
Avalanches:
N/O
Weather: The weather Fx was pretty much spot on 4″ of new snow in the Anthracite range. The majority of the snow came early than forecasted with heavier precip. rates between 8 and 10 AM then tappering throughout the rest of the day. The winds were exactly as forecasted steady from the N in the 20mph range and gusting to 40 at noon. Temperatures remained in the teens to twenties throughout the day.
Snowpack: “Little bit of blowing snow.” Windward slopes becoming wind scoured with strong gusts disrupting the surface hoar. Old tracks still visible on all aspects observed there was some small wind slab development on NE aspects but isolated to areas NTL. Not too much wind loading observed on S aspects 3-4 inches of new on top of a 1″ crust. Saw no signs of instability through the day. Dug one PIT N aspect 10,400′ ETCX burping the burping the baby to see the reactivity of the newly buried surface hoar (profile attached). This will be a layer to pay attention to in the future after our last period of high pressure.
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