Refrozen snow and surface facets on Andesite Ridge

Location Name: 
Andesite Ridge
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 01/13/2012 - 09:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 20' 41.946" N, 120° 21' 21.5892" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

The snowpack ranged from 20-30 cm deep below 7600 ft and was closer to 40 cm deep between 7600 and 8200 ft on northerly aspects. Rain that occurred on Dec 28-29 saturated the snowpack in this area. It has since refrozen into a strong and solid snowpack consisting mostly of melt freeze grains in the lower elevations in this area. Observations today showed less evidence of faceting around and within the melt freeze snow here than in some other areas along the Crest. Large surface facets are widespread in this area. They could pose a problem if they do not get destroyed or removed before it snows.

Photo: Large surface facets.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: