Mt Shasta Avalanche Center - Shasta/Trinity Nat'l Forest

Snowing very hard. Tracks blown in quickly. 25 to 40cm of new snow by 1500. East/South/West winds, gusty and variable. No recent avalanches but visibility was less than 1/4 mile and at times only a few hundred feet. Wind slabs primary concern, with drifts 60-80cm deep. Storm slab characteristics decent. Cornice formation continuing. Total HS: unknown, at least >300cm. Probe could not hit ground. Height of new snow at this time and location: 25 cm.

Total Height of snow: 280cm / Weak layer at snow density change (96cm). Unable to produce propagation in large column tests. No red flags for avalanche danger observed along tour today. Right side up snowpack. Widespread 2-5 cm crust, large rain runnels and effects of rain on snow up to 6,000 feet, all aspects on the west side today. Above 6k, soft, dry and light powder. South facing aspects, even with 25 degree F air temp, began to experience roller ball action. Full sun all day. Riming on all trees and surface of snowpack.

First above treeline observation/pit since atmospheric river event/January storm cycle. Overall snow surface very smooth with isolated sastrugi wind erosional features. Fairly uniform surface hardness, soft mostly with hard slabs and packed powder throughout terrain. Skiers and snowmobilers riding similar slopes. Windy, NE, blowing snow onto westerly slopes. Chilly today but sunny! Unknown total height of snow, couldn't hit ground! A lot of wind loading but no recent avalanches. Observations and tests looking at wind slab stability. Danger perceived as moderate.

Above 8000ft, the snowpack remained dry and was not affected by the 01/08 rain event. The wet snow that fell at this elevation on 01/08 now exists as a supportable 6cm thick MFcr. Height of new snow since 01/06 is 51cm.

At this location the 12/23 FXxr layer exists without a MFcr.

Past 48 hour northwest wind event created a scoured snowpack consisting of all forms of snow surfaces: breakable crust, hard slabs, wind buff, soft powder, icy crusts, protruding sastrugi features and old ski/snowmobile tracks. 12/23 persistent weak layer still present just below crust (21cm) with Q1 shears in small column tests, however ECT test could not produce propagation. Total HS: 231cm