Small shallow wind slabs with wet snow underneath them on Donner Peak

Location Name: 
Donner Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 04/11/2012 - 15:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 18' 37.6596" N, 120° 19' 8.1048" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

About 2 inches of new snow had fallen in this area by 3pm today. In the most wind loaded areas small wind slabs up to 10 inches thick had formed near the ridgelines. Some skier triggered cracking did occur on a few test slopes where these wind slabs existed. Ski cuts on these slopes only resulting in minor sluffing of the new snow and no slab failures. The wind slabs got quickly smaller as the distance from the ridgeline increased. 

Below the new snow 4-6 inches of wet melt freeze snow remained. This wet snow showed signs of slowly refreezing. Hand pits and ECTs showed good bonding between the older wet snow and the new snow that has fallen today.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: