Observations from Chickadee Ridge

Location Name: 
Chickadee Ridge
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 01/18/2015 - 10:20
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 31.056" N, 119° 53' 55.968" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

Overnight snow surface refreeze in this area was better than expected. At 10 am, a 4cm thick melt freeze crust existed on all aspects and had yet to enter melt phase (photo 1). By 11:15 am, 2 to 4 cm of surface wet snow existed with skier supportable conditions on SE and S aspects (Photo 2).

The snowpack in this area on northerly aspects retains more faceted properties within upper snowpack layers adjacent to old rain crusts and less consolidation than has been observed in recent days along the Sierra Crest in the Yuba Pass, Donner Summit, and Carson Pass areas. Melt-freeze conditions cap the snowpack on all aspects. No signs of instability observed during the morning hours.

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

Cloud cover cleared out beginning at 7am. Moisture plume passed further north than forecast, leading to significantly less cloud cover than forecast (photo 3 taken at 11:15 am).