Wet snow on northerly aspects on Carpenter Peak

Location Name: 
Carpenter Ridge
Region: 
Independence Lake Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 02/21/2012 - 12:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 25' 13.008" N, 120° 19' 15.312" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Cloud cover and above freezing air temperatures created 3 to 4 inches of wet snow on all aspects today up to at least 8,600' in this area. On a NE aspect at 8,000' (noted lat/long), human triggered roller balls grew to about 1 foot in diameter before breaking apart (video).

Several test pits along the ridge in near treeline terrain on NW-N-NE aspect terrain between 8,500' and 8,900' indicated that propagation of fractures was unlikely at both the bottom of the wet surface snow and at the facet/crust layer at the bottom of the recent new snow. Wet snow on northerly aspects today is expected to become breakable crust tomorrow.

Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

20120221 Carpenter Ridge 003.MOV

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Northeast
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Cloud cover remained at 100% all day.