Crusts and Wet Snow on Rubicon

Location Name: 
Rubicon Peak
Region: 
West Shore Area
Date and time of observation: 
Mon, 12/22/2014 - 13:15
Location Map: 
United States
38° 59' 29.292" N, 120° 7' 57.0108" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Below 7500 ft. (about the SNOTEL station) snow cover was discontinues and in some places nonexistent on all aspects. Between 7500 ft. and 8000 ft. continuous shallow snow cover existed. Above 8000 ft. snow depths increased with up to 4 ft. of snow near 9000 ft. A firm, frozen, and supportable rain crust existed on all NW-N-NE aspects above 8000 ft. all day. On the E and SE aspects between 8000 and 8800 ft. and on NE and N aspects below 8000 ft. some softening occurred allowing wet sticky snow to form. By mid afternoon these areas had started to refreeze. Snowpit data and general observations indicated that the snowpack remains moist and that it is consolidating.

Photo: Drainage runnels at 8800 ft on a N aspect.  

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: