Wet snow and some corn on Castle Peak

Location Name: 
Castle Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 04/10/2013 - 12:35
Location Map: 
United States
39° 21' 56.6064" N, 120° 21' 26.6868" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

On the sun-exposed SE-S-SW aspects wet sticky snow that has not transitioned to corn existed in the areas where the recent snow still existed. In these places ski cuts produce some small 6in to 1ft roller balls. In the areas where the recent snow had been scoured away or had already melted 1-3 inches of wet corn snow existed on top of a firm layer of supportable melt-freeze snow. The strong NE winds had scoured most of the northerly aspects leaving a firm crust on the surface. Below this crust the snowpack consisted of layers of moist snow surrounded by crusts. Some tests did indicate that some of the wetter layers could become an issue if the 6-8 inch thick frozen melt freeze crust completely melts.

Snowpit: A NW aspect at 8400 ft. at the noted coordinates.

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