Cool and cloudy morning on Tamarack Peak

We toured Tamarack Peak this morning. Our goals were to assess snow surface conditions at the upper elevations following Tuesday's precipitation and to monitor for any warming effects associated with today's cloud cover. Our elevation range of travel today was from 8,600' to 9,900'. Prior to our departure from the area at noon, air temperatures stayed below freezing in this elevation zone. Moderate SW winds were blowing with no signs of drifting snow.

One cm of recent new snow from Tuesday's storm lingered in areas protected from direct sun. In areas that had been sun exposed yesterday, the recent new snow had assimilated with the older crust below. We traveled through a few wind drifted areas on NE aspects near treeline that held up to 3 inches of recent new snow. No signs of wind slab instability were present.

Cloud cover was thick during the morning hours, fully or nearly fully obscuring the sun. This thick cloud cover was high level enough to prevent any green house effects from occurring that would warm the snow surface on northerly aspects. Upon our return to the parking area at noon, cloud cover began to thin with a little bit of sunshine starting to show through. During our drive back to Truckee, cloud cover appeared to be thinning over the northern portion of the forecast area with bits of blue sky emerging.