0400 temp. at 6350′ in Carnelian Bay: 23.2 deg. & 89% RH

3/23 24 hr. snowfall: 6″ / 3/24 24 hr. snowfall: 4″ / 3/25 24 hr. snowfall: trace

0530 temp. at Tamarack TH: 17 deg.

Backcountry obs.:

Winter has returned to the backcountry. This morning, 8-12″ of cold, unconsolidated snow blanketed sheltered and N facing areas in the Tamarack zone making for excellent skiing. Light NE winds had begun massaging the snow surface along exposed ridge lines above tree line, adding a light texture to soft wind pillows. Below ridges, winds were calm and the snow is light, cold, and pristine. NE facing bowls and gullies are skiing soft and fast, delivering skiers to alpine glory.

The weekend storm dropped anywhere from nearly 2′ along the Sierra Crest to around a foot in the Rose backcountry. Cold temps, mostly cloudy skies, and intense showers on Sat. and Sun. preserved most of the snow on sheltered N and E facing terrain leaving behind a cold, right-side up snowpack that has generally bonded well to the crusts beneath.

Any areas that did receive intense March sun during breaks in the yesterday’s shower activity have a syrofoamy-feeling layer that will soon become solar crust. Despite the cold temps, the spring sun angle bakes any exposed snow into hot pow during the day, refreezing into a dense, transitional crust once back in the shadows. On open southerly aspects, this layer is fully supportable, but quickly transitions into sporty semi supportable crust under any shade or lesser angled terrain.

No instabilities were observed in steep, N facing terrain today besides minor sluffing within the top 1″ of the new snow.

Weather and forecast thoughts:

Partly to mostly cloudy skies have started off today and will prevail throughout the day. Highs will tickle 40 around the Tahoe Basin while temps remain 5-10 deg. cooler in the backcountry. A few afternoon convective showers could pop up in the mountains today adding trace amounts of graupel and snow to the snow surface.

Tues.-Weds. will be generally sunny and a bit warmer – highs in the low-mid 40s – as a transient ridge of high pressure moves through the Sierra. Expect the snow to warm and turn transitional in all but the coldest backcountry aspects.

Weds. night, a new storm looks to come in from the NW bringing a decent refresh to the area. Models today point to anywhere from 4″ in town to up to 12″ along the crest through Thurs. Expect most accumulation during the overnight hours due to the storm’s timing, but also the high March sun angle.

Unstable, moist flow will continue Thurs. PM into Fri. before another more potent cut off low approaches Tahoe from the NW. At this point, this system appears more potent than the midweek storm, but models are fluctuating day to day. Cut offs, especially in transitional seasons (spring, fall), are notoriously difficult to predict. This particular system could bring another good shot of late season snow, just a dusting, or even some rain/snow, depending on its track and the type of moisture it taps into as it nears the area. Some models show the system phasing with a subtropical moisture tap, which would raise snow levels above lake level. The unsettled pattern looks to continue through next weekend.

The backcountry hosts excellent powder today and will likely have more to come throughout the week. Best enjoy the fruits of nature before they quickly vanish with the arrival of warmer temps.