By Eric White The Details: This Season: Our season started late and has had higher winds than normal above tree line. Our precipitation is around 100% of normal since September 1. January brought several heavy and cold snow storms. Snow pack at lower elevations is well above normal, near normal at tree line, and below normal above tree line due to wind scouring. Recent snow surveys locally show our snow pack below tree line at around 137% of normal. We are in a "La Nina" climate condition which often means wetter than normal winters in our area and expectations are for above normal precipitation into the spring of 2008. Weather Observations: We have clear skies and calm winds in town this morning, and it is currently 31F in Mt. Shasta and 37F in Dunsmuir. Mt. Shasta - We are measuring 93 inches of snow on the ground near tree line with no new snow over the last 5 days. The snow has settled 2 inches over the last 24 hours and 16 inches over the last week. Temperatures have ranged between 25F to a toasty 39F at 7000 ft. and it is currently a 25F. Winds this morning are estimated at 5 mph below tree line from the SW. Above tree line winds are estimated at 15 mph from the NW and on the upper mountain winds are estimated at 20-25 mph from the WNW. Castle/Mt. Eddy - Mt. Eddy received no new snow and 2 inches of settlement in the last 24 hours, with 17 inches of settlement over the last week. We estimate around 7 ft. of snow on the ground. The temperature on Mt. Eddy this morning is a warm 36F. Temperatures near Castle Lake have been between 15F-46F over the last 24 hours and currently are around 21F. Weather Forecast: High pressure will bring us sunny skies and warm temperatures again today with a storm moving north of our area tonight. This storm will bring some increasing high clouds later today with little to zero precipitation expected Sunday. Another cold front will arrive late Tuesday and early Wednesday with only light precipitation and will be followed by warming and dry weather at the end of next week. Temperatures today will warm into the upper 30's and low 40's at mid elevations. Winds will remain light below tree line. Above tree line, winds will be 15 mph, moving from the NW this morning to the W and SW most of the day. On the upper mountain, winds will be 20-30 mph from the W today, increasing tonight to 35-40 mph from the W. Snow Pack: After a series of intense snow storms at the end of January into early February, strong N and NW winds have scoured the upper mountain and warm temperatures have accelerated settlement and stabilization at mid and lower elevations. While I have been sick and watching the snow with binoculars, Nick has been diligently studying the snow throughout our forecast area and beyond! Nick continues to find good stability below 8000 ft. with repeated Rutschblock scores of R6 most of the week and failures during Compression tests under moderate to hard force. D.H. has also been reporting fair stability with failures on moderate to hard force. Additionally, the melt/freeze metamorphic process has been at work in the top 10 cm of snow with mash potato snow in the afternoon and hard snow in the mornings. Enjoy a slow wake up this morning and let the snow soften. Our biggest concerns are with wind slabs for climbers on the upper mountain where loading has continued all week. Nick Meyers carrying his longboards at the competition, 2008. Skinning up in the Trinity Alps, 02/04/08. View from the Eddy's on 02/07/08. Nick Meyers, Mt. Shasta Climbing Ranger, at work and play this winter. Left: at the official Longboard competition. Center: Trinity Alps 2/4/08. Right: in the Eddys with Mt. Shasta in the background, 2/7/08. Some important thoughts: This advisory does not apply to Ski Areas or Highways and is for the Mt. Shasta, Castle Lake and Mt. Eddy back country. Use this information for guidance only. You may find different conditions in the backcountry and should travel accordingly. This advisory expires at midnight tonight. As always, use safe travel practices: travel with a partner, travel one at a time in suspect areas, go from one island of safety to another, choose safe routes, wear a transceiver, carry a shovel and probe, and know how to use your gear! Pilgrim Creek Snowmobile Park: Grooming has continued with Rd. 19 to Deer Mnt. on 2/5 and the Ash Creek Butte loop on 2/6. Val and Cliff have been busy cutting down trees and limbs on some of the trails. <>