Soft Wet Snow on Red Lake Peak

Location Name: 
Red lake Peak
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 02/13/2015 - 12:30
Location Map: 
United States
38° 43' 0.516" N, 119° 58' 56.532" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Shady northerly aspects above 8500 ft. still held some soft cold snow in this area. Up to about 9500 ft. only a few inches of soft cold snow existed above a very thick and frozen rain crust. In many areas on the northerly aspects wind had exposed this icy crust on the surface. Below the frozen crust the snow still remained moist. Above 9500 ft. firm wind packed surfaces mixed with areas of softer surface snow existed on the northerly aspects. Snowpit data and tests showed revealed a strong and well bonded snowpack. General observations on the northerly aspects did not reveal any signs of instabilities.

E-SE-S-SW aspects softened quickly and some small skier triggered roller balls did occur on sun-exposed E-SE aspects at around 1 pm. The snow on these aspects had almost been through enough melt-freeze cycles to become corn. It still remained slow and sticky in many areas and will take a few more melt-freeze cycles to fully transition.

Photo 1: 2-3 inches of soft wet snow on an E aspect at 9200 ft @ 12:00 pm.

Photo 2:  Exposed rain crust on a NE aspect at 9400 ft.

Photo 3: Variable wind created surfaces ranging from firm to soft on a NE aspect @ 9700 ft.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: