The last few days of weather that brought clear skies  and mild temperatures has allowed for the upper snowpack to settle.  Wind slabs from the 3/25 north wind event have shown signs of gaining strength in most locations.  These wind slabs may remain reactive in small pockets of steep, and or rocky terrain where they overlie faceted snow.  

The 3/25 north wind event has created a lot of spatial variability in regards to the amount and quality of the snow that fell mid March (3/17-22). In the majority of locations,  this snow is wind affected and sits atop very hard wind damaged surfaces  created in the the late feb- early march drought/ wind events.  Good bonding continues to be observed and reported at the 3/17 interface.  Clean shears have been identified within the mid March snow although propagation in snow pits has not been observed and sensitivity is low.  

Human triggered avalanches remain a possibility on steep isolated terrain features up to one foot in depth.  Even though good stability is currently present continued snowpack assessment is encouraged while traveling in steep and/ or consequential terrain.  Remember that even small avalanches can have serious consequences in steep or exposed terrain.

The late March sun will be creating the potential for wet loose avalanches on solar aspects (SE-W) below 4000′, during the heat of the day.  The 3/25 wind event created very hard snow at the surface in many locations which has limited the amount or recent wet loose activity.  The potential for wet loose avalanches will increase along with the rise in temperature through the day.  Avoid traveling on, or being exposed to steep terrain where the snows surface is becoming moist or wet.  Wet slab activity has not been reported or observed, but is a possibility during the heat of the day.  Increasing cloud cover today may limit the amount of natural wet loose activity that occurs.  

Weak snow exists at the base of our snowpack.  This weak snow is currently unlikely to be affected due to the strength of old wind affected snow at the 3/17 new/old interface.  Depth hoar may become a concern later in the season if our area returns to a period of major snowfall and the very strong wind damaged layer at the new/old interface starts to break down and lose strength within the snowpack.  As very hard wind slabs break down within the snowpack a person or machines weight will have a more direct affect on weak layers at the bottom of the snowpack.  In addition,  the increasing intensity of the sun will be putting pressure on deep layers during the heat of the day.