Wet Snow Obs from Carson Pass

Location Name: 
Red Lake Peak
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 04/24/2012 - 11:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 42' 4.2696" N, 119° 59' 30.8508" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Pit: All of snowpack at this location undergoing wet metamorphism. Water content had to be observed immediately upon excavation due to very warm temps. Percolation tubes within January PWL. 2x Hard Deep Tap with Progressive Compression on January PWL implies propogation unlikely. Very dense snowpack above this layer limiting initiation potential.

Pic: Slush layers are quite obvious as darker layers. Slush layer just 10cm above January PWL.

Cool (though still above freezing), overcast morning. No surface crusts observed, but ski pen remained limited to 10 to 15cm on all aspects to 9000ft until my departure at 12:30. Clear skies by 10am with increasing cloud cover and winds by noon.

No natural surface instabilities observed. Ski cuts produced loose wet activity limited to the top 10cm of Very Wet snow.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: