We are not here to preach to any choir. We are, however, here to embrace a growth mindset. Some readers may be guides and avalanche educators, or highly evolved in snow science; others may be total newcomers; some may be somewhere in between; and some, like me, live in a region where persistent weak layers or their development are rare. So I find myself revisiting snow science concepts that may help me assess potential future conditions. Sustained high pressure has been the theme out West, with some semblance of a refresh here and there. Stable weather does not mean the snowpack remains static. On the contrary, it can and does change incrementally, especially in regions where cold, clear nights persist.
What’s key here is understanding that the good snow or snowpack conditions we may find as high pressure evolves can become less predictable, and downright touchy, once new snow falls. Which, fingers crossed, it will. To simplify matters, the grainy or feathery near-surface conditions we often seek out during high pressure on north and north-adjacent slopes can become weak layers as the snowpack matures with overlying snowfall.
In the quest for fine reading and educational resources to help me/us get a better grasp of the dynamics at play, we’re perusing the Internet to highlight some resources.
