Supportable crusts and cornice break

Location Name: 
Donner Ridge
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 03/12/2017 - 10:05
Location Map: 
United States
39° 20' 46.428" N, 120° 18' 26.604" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Educator at Donner Summit Avalanche Seminars
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Fairly deep freeze last night resulted in 6 cm thick supportable crusts this morning in Negro Canyon and on Donner Ridge.  Mostly breakable crusts under the conifers. Small loose wet avalanches and cornice breaks numerous from yesterday.  The largest cornice break spotted was distant to the NW (see crummy photo).  Glide cracks all over Donner Summit becoming more numerous and larger.  Block tests revealed no planer instabilities at this location.  +9 C by 1000, but the strong crusts stood proud to our ski descent most the way back to the truck (1130).

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: