Wet snow at Blue Lakes

Location Name: 
Blue Lakes
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 12/21/2014 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 35' 45.6432" N, 119° 56' 50.64" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Pic 1: Shows wet, previously rain effected snow by 10am on a NW aspect at 8,000ft

Pic 2: Previous wind effected snow now undergoing melt/freeze/rain with 3cm new refrozen crust at 3pm at 8,800ft. Drainage runnels visible on all aspects.

Warm, calm day with previous rain, sun and high temps the primary drivers of today's snow surface. Lack of forecasted winds and no dry snow available for transport. W winds did pick up briefly after noon but were not strong nor long lasting enough to move any surface snow.

50cm of snow on wind sheltered N/NE aspects at 8,000ft with full depth wet to moist metamorphism observed. 100cm+ of snow on wind sheltered N/NE aspects at high point of 8,800ft with wet grains at top 10cm and moist grains from 10 to 30cm from surface.

Slope cuts on previously wind loaded features did not produce results. 1 recent natural avalanche observed; E aspect at 9,000ft just below small cornice, 15cm crown height D1. May have been triggered by rapid warming this AM - roller balls adjacent to slide path. No persistent weak layers observed today.

 

 

Snowpack photos: 
Any other comments about the observation or links to outside pages that have more info on the observation: 

Blue Lakes Rd held snow from parking area in the AM but was pavement for almost a mile in the PM.

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
50% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Accumulation rate: 
None