Deep wet snow on south side of Mt. Judah.

Cloud cover moved over the Sierra Crest around mid day as forecast, but was too late to inhibit deep surface wet snow formation on SE-S aspects on Mt. Judah. True corn conditions have yet to form in this area. The upper snowpack consists of surface melt-freeze snow on top of drier remnant storm snow without a supportable crust in between. By 11:30 am, all signs of last night's snow surface refreeze were gone on SE-S aspects on Mt. Judah below 8,000'. At this time conditions were supportable only because the underlying remnant storm snow had been highly compacted by previous wind events. Near and on top of the summit ridge, moderate to strong SW winds were creating sufficient convective cooling to drastically slow snow surface melt. Once 100' to 200' below the summit ridge and out of the strongest winds, snow surface melt increased significantly. Open creeks in the area were flowing, indicating some established drainage from the snowpack. Boot pen ranged from 15 cm near the summit on the S aspect at 11:30 am to 40 cm deep at 7,540' on the S side of Mt. Judah at 11:45 am.

Touring back to Donner Pass from noon to 12:30 revealed some early stage snow surface melt on W aspects and mostly a frozen snow surface on all but the lowest angle N aspects.

Photo 1: Increasing cloud cover at 12:15 following morning clear skies.

Photo 2: Surface wet snow over drier remnant storm snow.

Photo 3: Deep wet snow boot penetration of 40 cm at noted lat/long (S aspect, 7,540') at 11:45 am.

Photo 4: Another's parties ski tracks on the S side of Mt. Judah, estimated to have been placed around 11 am. Some small roller balls and a few tiny loose wet sluffs, indicative of increasing loose wet snow instability.