Observtions from Meiss

Location Name: 
Meiss Ridge
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/26/2010 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 42' 41.8068" N, 120° 0' 40.5432" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Terrain Trap
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Photo 1: Blowing snow triggered very small sluffs as seen in photo 2

Photo 3: Fair bonding between last night's snow and old snow on steep E aspect. Bonding between last night's snow and Wed night's snow was fair to good. No evidence of slab formation in new snow.

Bonding between new snow and old snow was good to very good on SE, S and SW slopes - improving as day progressed.

Several small, naturally triggered loose snow avalanches were observed, mostly on steep E and NE terrain. Flagpole Pk, the steep slopes above Winnemuca Lake, and the very small sluffs in photo 3 on Meiss Ridge.

New snow distribution was more widespread than Wed night's snow. Even many windward aspects still held 5 to 10cm of very low density snow. Lee aspects held 20cm + of new snow.

I went to Meiss hoping to test Wed night's graupel layer at this location. Wed night's slab formation was difficult to locate under the new snow. Where I did find this slab, it was only 15cm thick and showed little propagation potential (2xECTN14 Q2 @ 30cm, on graupel just above old snow). The lesser propagation potential as compared to yesterday's obs on Elephant's Back could be due to a thinner slab at this location, or improved bonding, or both. My concern is that Wed night's slab formation was so spacially variable, and is now hidden under new snow, making it difficult to know where it is.

 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Northwest
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: