Wet Snow and Small Pinwheels on Rubicon

Location Name: 
Rubicon Peak
Region: 
West Shore Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 04/11/2014 - 15:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 59' 21.3684" N, 120° 8' 1.1508" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

30 to 40 cm of wet snow existed on all aspects and all elevations on Rubicon by 3pm. Upon stepping off of my skis on both N and E and SE aspects I sank into wet snow up to my mid shins. Ski cuts on small steep test slopes on the N aspects triggered small roller balls, pinwheels, and wet snow sluffs.

Photo 1: Boot penetration into wet snow on a N aspect at 8800 ft.

Photo 2: Boot penetration into wet snow on an E aspect at 9000 ft.

Photo 3: Small ski cut triggered wet snow sluff on a NE aspect at 8400 ft.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: 

Convective clouds building during the afternoon. No showers occurred on Rubicon, but I could see some precipitation that may or may not have reached the ground to the south and east. I also heard distant thunder.