Observations from Carpenter Ridge

Location Name: 
Carpenter Ridge
Region: 
Independence Lake Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/08/2013 - 12:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 24' 55.8288" N, 120° 19' 34.3704" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Good stability was observed in this area today. No signs of instability were observed in either formal or informal observations. Some very minor skier triggered sluffing occurred involving the top 2-3 inches of the snowpack on 37-39 degree N aspect slopes. These loose dry snow avalanches were very small and narrow (6 feet wide max) but did travel up to 50 feet down slope.

Thick mid level could cover was contributing to high humidity and warming below 8,000'. While air temperatures stayed below freezing in the 7,000'-8,000' range, a significant increase in moisture was observed in the top few inches of the snowpack below 8,000' on all aspects. Above the 8,000' the snow remained much drier.

Photo 1: Settlement cones of 2-3 inches observed on a N aspect at 8,080' at 10:30am.

Photo 2: Very small skier triggered sluff along Carpenter Ridge, NE aspect at 8,600'.

Photo 3: Very repeatable ECTN result in snowpit at noted lat/long. Failure layer within wind slab down 30cm into 50cm wind slab. NE aspect at 8,880'.

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