Cooler snow and air than anticipated at Powderhouse

Location Name: 
Powderhouse Peak
Region: 
Luther Pass Area (including Job and Freel)
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 03/21/2013 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 47' 3.174" N, 119° 58' 31.6488" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent avalanche activity
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Rapid warming
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Yesterday's 10-15cm of storm snow colder and drier than expected, with air temps at and below freezing until 1pm. Air temp with thermometer in direct sunlight on Powderhouse Peak at 1pm showed +3c, tempered by increasing cloud cover and NW winds.

Pit and video: deeper facets gaining strength, with vertical ice columns interrupting faceted layer below old rain crust. Facets easy to press together. Small facets just below surface MFcr that was buried by cold storm snow yesterday, but failed to show propagation potential with both ECTs and PSTs.

Pic: Near Powderhouse summit, trees held rime due to cool, just above freezing temps and a cool NW breeze.

Early afternoon, clear views of steep solar aspects along Meiss Ridge, Echo Summit, and Tallac showed natural loose wet activity below 8,000ft initiating in rocky areas, but none above. Large (D2+) loose wet likely from yesterday observed in S Bowl of Tallac.

Wet, sticky snow surface encountered below 8,000ft on Powderhouse in early afternoon.

 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

MVI_3554

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Increasing NW winds and cloud cover observed after noon.