Light rain crust and wind scouring at Indian Valley

Location Name: 
Indian Valley
Region: 
Ebbetts Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 12/16/2015 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 35' 17.3328" N, 119° 52' 42.2112" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Pic 1: A very light, breakable rain crust buried on 12/13 and now exposed due to N/NE winds. The snow just under this crust was becoming angular and weak. 12/13 crust is thin and light enough that it's easier to identify on the surface, as in this pic, than when digging quick pits. Hand shears were clean just under the crust, though due to recent winds, there was not much slab above this crust on typical start zones of shady slopes. More slab observed on wind sheltered features, though no signs of propagation under the crust were observed today.

Pic 2: Evidence of N/NE winds even in fairly sheltered terrain. Recent wind slab in this area was observed to be only 10-15cm thick. On some features, dinner-plate sized pieces of wind slab would break up to a meter from front of snowmobile. No consequential wind slab overved today.

Observations of deeper weak layers showed crust/facet combos and basal facets, though several slope cuts, including deep trenching of track, failed to initiate fractures on these layers.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Late morning warming observed, with surface of sunny slopes becoming wet in the afternoon.