Blowing Snow and Developing Wind Slabs

We went to Tamarack Peak in the Mt. Rose area to monitor todays approaching storm.  Below freezing temperatures existed this morning with strong SW winds in exposed terrain.  2 to 3'' of new storm snow was found in this area with moderate wind transport.  Newly forming wind slabs were reactive to a skiers weight on small test slopes with shooting cracks and propagation.  These wind slabs were building and were up to 6'' deep by late morning.  Strong SW winds were limited with snow transport by the small amount of storm snow that had fallen.  The upper snowpack remains upside down throughout this area with punchy and variable snow surface conditions on most all aspects and elevations.  This made for some interesting travel conditions with limited visibility and very flat light conditions.  Temperatures warmed to above freezing by early afternoon.