Soft Snow on North Aspects Near Ginny Lake

Location Name: 
Ginny Lake
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 03/04/2015 - 14:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 53.5704" N, 119° 57' 8.7156" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Sunny aspects in this area started to exhibit wet sticky snow by the afternoon. Some small skier triggered roller balls and pinwheels less than 8 inches in diameter did start to occur on SE-S-SW aspects as well. A breakable sun crust had formed on E aspects and some isolated NE aspects. On the shaded and sheltered northerly aspects the recent snow remains soft and unconsolidated. Data indicated that the recent snow continues to bond to the old snow below it and that the old snow continues to gain strength. Wind scouring had uncovered the old crusts on exposed N-NE aspects in near and above treeline terrain near the ridgelines.

Photo 1: Wind scouring near the ridgelines and soft snow in the shelter of the small trees just down slope.

Photo 2: Sun crust on an E aspect at 8600 ft.

Photo 3: Slab fracture results for a Propagation Saw Test targeting the old snow layer between the recent snow and the old crust. This result indicated that if a fracture starts in this layer, it should not travel very far.

 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: