Observations from Andesite Peak

Location Name: 
Andesite Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 04/14/2014 - 10:30
Location Map: 
United States
39° 20' 58.8876" N, 120° 21' 51.8688" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

A fairly strong snow surface refreeze occurred in this area last night. Radiational cooling under clear skies was a major contributor as evidenced by the amount of snow surface refreeze on open slopes vs. treed slopes. Open slopes traveled between 7,200' and 8,200' on NE-E-SE aspects held 10 cm of K hard crust on the snow surface. Moderately treed areas of similar elevation and aspect held 5 cm of P hard crust. Heavily forested areas with little to no view of the sky due to forest canopy had no evidence of an overnight refreeze remaining at 10:30 am. On open slopes on NE-E-SE aspects at 10:40 am 2 to 4 cm of wet surface snow existed on top of very supportable melt-freeze crust.

Photos were taken approximately 10 m apart from one another on sections of the slope with significant differences in tree cover (immediate vicinity of noted lat/long).

Photo 1: Boot pen of 3 cm on open SE aspect at 8,000' around 10:30 am.

Photo 2 : Boot Pen of 15 cm in heavily forested area on E aspect at 8,000' around 10:30 am.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
25% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
More detailed information about the weather: 

Thin high level cloud cover. Wind felt only on top of ridgelines.