Weak layer above Crystal Bay

Location Name: 
Crystal Bay (Stateline ridge), NV
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 01/15/2016 - 09:25
Location Map: 
United States
39° 14' 35.3112" N, 120° 0' 24.3072" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Guide at Donner Summit Avalanche Seminars
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Approx 45 cm new snow overnight+; wind slabs showing minor cracking but no collapsing or whumpfing observed.  Weakness at 70 cm suspected to be SH, but was not.  Blame-grains are fine (1 mm) 6-branched crystals most still in their original costumes.  These underlay the new snow and overlay progressively harder snows, mixed round forms mostly.  HS in region around 1.2 m.  Cornices starting to develop.  Most anchors and terrain roughness covered.  Surface snows soft and weak (PF = 70 cm).  Calm, mostly clear, very high albedo.  Obs for Washoe County.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Air temperature trend: 
Warming