Snowpit on the Fireplug

Location Name: 
Fireplug
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 03/11/2012 - 10:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 19' 30.576" N, 119° 54' 25.92" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

 A firm wind scoured surfaces and frozen melt-freeze conditions existed on the SE-S-SW aspects in this area. On the northerly aspects a mix of breakable crusts, wind packed snow, wind affected snow, small wind slabs, and small deposits of softer snow existed. 

The persistent weak layer made up of crusts and facets still remains at about the middle of the snowpack. The snow above this layer has consolidated into a strong slab layer. An even weaker layer of depth hoar existed near the base of the snowpack in some places in this area. This depth hoar layer was thin and discontinuous, and even though snowpit tests showed it to be very weak fractures that started in this layer could not travel very far before encountering some sort of anchor poking up through the depth hoar into the stronger snow above it. 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Strong
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: