PM avalanche observation

CB Avalanche Center2017-18 Observations

Location: Brush Creek Area
Date of Observation: 03/23/2018
Name: Ben Pritchett

Subject: PM avalanche observation
Aspect: North East
Elevation: Above Treeline

Avalanches:

5x on Whetstone, 3x reported off Crystal’s North Face.

Weather: Snowed all day in the Alpine. >S5 precipitation in numerous pulses. Big pulse around 11, another around 1 (frontal passage) then numerous convective cells throughout the afternoon. Report from Star Pass included <10′ visibility all day, with only a few breaks minutes long. Strong winds transporting significant snow.
Snowpack: Wet snowpack down low. Rain saturated snowpack below treeline with a 12+ hour deluge, dropping something in excess of .5″ of liquid precip. Storm slabs in the alpine with storm totals topping 20″ near Taylor Pass. Over 2″ SWE observed at Schofield. PM winds drifted snow continuously. Taylor Pass reported no cracking in the snow. Star Pass was unable to test the new snow as visibility didn’t allow forecasters to find the cornice lip, though they did report 3 fresh avalanches.

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