Wet snow obs on Tallac

Location Name: 
Mt. Tallac
Region: 
Desolation Wilderness Area (including Emerald Bay)
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 01/26/2011 - 12:30
Location Map: 
United States
38° 55' 7.1472" N, 120° 5' 55.2372" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Some snow surface melt occurring on E aspects in this area but not nearly as much as on the SE-S aspects traveled up to 9,000'. By 1pm E aspects between 9,000' down to 6,500' had refrozen with supportable crust, even in open areas with continued low angle sun exposure.

Photo was taken at 12:30pm of hand pit at noted lat/long (8,560', SE aspect, 36 degree slope, near treeline). At that time, 6cm of wet surface snow over 36 cm of knife hard ice. Wet grains with minimal free water below the ice layer. Green marker is at snow surface, blue marker is at top of ice layer, and red marker is at base of ice layer. Snow temp down 47cm (5cm below the ice layer) was -0.5 C.

 

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