Rapid loading in Tamarack zone

Went for a short tour in the Tamarack zone to check out the front end of this storm. We had toured in this area yesterday and dug a pit on a north-facing slope in the Proletariat area (similar to where another observation was posted from yesterday), so wanted to see how the new snow was coming in. Yesterday had found variable-thickness windslab on N-NE facing slopes at and below treeline, which was not supportable of the weight of a skier in most areas. Today, toured to a N-facing slope above Tamarack Lake; found 1-2 inches of new snow below treeline, with ~5-6 inches of new snow in open, lee meadows. Got some cracking in our skin track; had one shooting crack while crossing a creek (see photo). Snow was not wind-affected yet where we were, although it was blustery with winds out of the S and SW; evidence of northerly winds last night, with snow plastered on the N-facing side of trunks (see photo). We did not measure temperature, but would guess that it was just below freezing (~30 degrees); precip felt almost like sleet at times. Very shallow snowpack, with rocks and logs that had been visible yesterday just barely covered. Dug a pit just below the ridge out to Tamarack on a N/NW facing slope; found yesterday's windslab with a few inches of new snow on top. Appeared that new snow was starting to bond to yesterday's wind slab. Yesterday, had no reactivity from an ECT in a similar location; today, ECT14, full propagation across the interface between the old facets and the windslab. We stuck to mellow terrain on the way back out. Precip rate and wind were increasing steadily during the outing.