Forecast for the Skyline Area Mountains
Issued by Brett Kobernik on
Sunday morning, December 15, 2019
Sunday morning, December 15, 2019
The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE in the upper elevation northwest through east facing terrain. Look for and avoid fresh drifts on any steep slope. On upper elevation steep northerly facing slopes, it is possible for a person to trigger an avalanche that breaks into weak sugar snow near the ground.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow
The storm was an underachiever. Totals since Thursday are about 4, maybe 5 inches in the most favored locations. The wind was strong during the storm and has drastically slowed down. Temperatures plummeted into the single digits overnight.
Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Even though we didn't receive all that much snow, the wind may have drifted enough snow to make the old weak sugar snow on the ground reactive again. My suspicions are things didn't get real dangerous but I was not able to get into the high terrain on Saturday to confirm this. Treat those high elevation northerly facing slopes as guilty until proven innocent.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Any fresh drifts that formed during the storm may still be sensitive today. Watch for "pillowy" looking drifts of snow and avoid them on steep slopes.
Additional Information
This forecast is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.