Soft snow and crusts on Rubicon Peak

Location Name: 
Rubicon Peak
Region: 
West Shore Area
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 04/05/2012 - 15:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 59' 26.8944" N, 120° 8' 0.7476" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Below 7600 ft on northerly aspects and at most elevations on other aspects 1-3 inches of soft snow existed on a firm frozen crust. Above 7600 ft on the most shaded and sheltered northerly aspects the crust below the new snow was much softer and even non-existent in a few places. 2-4 inches of softer snow existed on the surface with unconsolidated older snow below it in these areas. Snowpit data (video above), hand pits and ski cuts did not show significant signs of instability in the snowpack in this area. Probing revealed that the older persistent weak layer still exists more than 5 ft down on the northerly aspects. However it is becoming more difficult to locate with a probe.

Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

2012-04-05-Rubicon 002.MOV

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
West
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: 

Small convective snow showers blew through this area regularly this afternoon with periods of clearing and sun in between the storms. A dusting of new snow covered the skin track on the skin track after about 1 hour.