Observations from Emerald Bay Chute

Location Name: 
Emerald Bay Chute
Region: 
Desolation Wilderness Area (including Emerald Bay)
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/25/2016 - 11:45
Location Map: 
United States
38° 57' 39.1392" N, 120° 7' 12.252" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Rapid warming conditions this morning in the Emerald Bay Chutes. Evidence of a good snow surface refreeze from last night existed in the area during the morning hours. Snow surface conditions remained ski and boot supportable up until just after 12:00 pm (photo 1). At that time, around 4 cm of surface wet snow existed on top of a fairly weak 10 cm thick melt freeze crust. The remains of the melt-freeze crust were 4F to 1 F hard and seemed likely to lose skier supportability prior to the 12:30 to 1 pm time frame. Descending the mostly E aspect chute from 11:45 to noon, skier triggered roller balls occurred off of turns in the steeper sections, but no new loose wet avalanche activity occurred. The surface snow on NE aspects on adjacent terrain remained transitional.  On the ridgetop around 8,900', N aspect surface snow was for the most part unaffected by melt-freeze. On low angle N aspects, there was a 1 cm thick 1 F hard melt-freeze crust (photo 2).

Signs of newly skier triggered loose wet avalanche activity was noted from Hwy 89 in two nearby areas NE-E aspects.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Air temperature trend: 
Warming