Professional Observation

Observation Details

Signs of Unstable Snow

I finally got some visibility yesterday morning (February 26th). Went to check out what the new snow and winds from the February 24 – 26th storm resulted in.

• Many small to large avalanches ran in drainages and on slopes with a NE aspect above Mono Lake.
• Several of these slab avalanches ran at low elevation with a mid slope crown line at a slight convexity. Their debris spilled onto Hwy 395 resulting in road closures including one that ran late afternoon yesterday.
• Some slides started up higher where new snow and continued wind-loading was overburdening the start zones.
• My guess is that some of the low elevation slab avalanches ran on the weak pre-strom snow surface of rime and surface hoar that built up like a bathtub ring around the Mono Basin during extended periods of valley fog aka Poconip.

Snow Stability