Spring-like conditions on Mt. Judah

Location Name: 
Mt. Judah
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 14:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 45.2364" N, 120° 18' 58.6368" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Firm breakable crusts existed on the E-NE-N-NW-W aspects above 7000 ft on Mt. Judah. A softer, weaker layer of snow similar to those seen in other areas this week existed underneath these crusts with stronger snow below the softer snow. A softer thinner crust existed in the more shaded areas and on the more easterly aspects.

Photo 1: Surface crust on an E-NE aspect at 8000 ft.

Melt-freeze conditions exist on the SE-S-SW aspects in this area. By 1:30 pm the top two to three inches of snow had softened. Below this soft wet snow, three to five inches of frozen melt-freeze snow existed with strong rounded snow grains below that layer. Some very small skier triggered roller balls did occur on a 37 degree S facing aspect at about 7800 ft. These small inconsequential instabilities represented the only wet snow instabilities observed in this area today.

Photo 2: Small inconsequential human triggered roller balls on a S facing 36 degree slope at 7800 ft.

Photo 3: Wet soft surface snow on a S aspect at 7800 ft.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
West
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Thin high clouds started developing to the west at about 1 pm. By 2:30 they had increased to cover about 25% of the sky. The winds also start to increase at the same time.