Observations from Andesite Peak

Location Name: 
Andesite Peak
Region: 
Donner Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 04/16/2014 - 11:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 20' 59.7228" N, 120° 22' 0.5232" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Snow surface refreeze conditions in this area today were similar to those observed on 4/14. On open slopes, 10 cm of P hard melt-freeze crust formed at the snow surface last night. In heavily treed areas, little to no snow surface refreeze occurred last night. Snow surface conditions on E aspects from 7,500' to 8,200' changed rapidly from supportable to unsupportable between 10:50 am and 11:10 am in this area today. Supportable crust topped with 2 to 3 cm of wet snow quickly became deep wet snow with ski pen to 20 cm.

Photo 1: Ski cut on E aspect at 8,160' at 10:50 am showing supportable conditions.

Photo 2: Ski pen of 20 cm in wet snow at 7,920' at 11:10 am. Note the cracks around the ski that show the last remnants of last night's melt-freeze crust.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Northeast