Weather and avy conditions?

[fleblebleb]

According to the weather reports the snow level was at 3000-3500' for most of last week, then yesterday it briefly went up to 5000' and now it's going down to 1500-2500' for a few days.

 

The avalanche forecasts were for moderate conditions most of the week, with something like one crust from mid-December (correct me...) and everything fairly stable, but since Thu or so we've gotten a lot of snow.

 

I'm curious what people think the effects of the short warm spell Friday will be, especially in the Alpental area which is at 4000-6000'? Is a warming trend for a part of a day enough to create a dangerous crust and bad avy conditions? What about ice forming on routes like the N Face of Chair and the NE Slab of Tooth? I thought this would be great, thaw followed by freeze, but I guess it wasn't enough of a thaw...

 

Any words from the wise? I know I should go out and look for myself but I'm confined to armchair mountaineering this weekend because I came down with a cold (where is the wazzup gremlin, again?).

[Dave_Schuldt]

Chris_W, Toast and I are going out tomarow, should be powder. We will popst report. Sorry about the cold.

[Highlander]

Was up there today. Not much ice, just some thin smears and plenty of snow on rock. Snowing pretty good all day. Did'nt see any slides or evidence of recent debris.