Blowing Snow and Crusts on Incline Lake Peak

Location Name: 
Incline Lake Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Tue, 03/11/2014 - 11:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 49.5132" N, 119° 56' 33.5688" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

1-3 inches of soft cold snow existed above a frozen supportable crust on the sheltered N-NE aspects in this area. In exposed near and above treeline areas on these aspects strong NE winds had scoured yesterday's snow away leaving the crust exposed. On the near and above treeline N-NE aspects that are sheltered from the NE winds some cornices and small wind slabs up to 8 inches deep still remained. Aggressive stomping, ski cuts, and dropping pieces of cornices onto sheltered test slopes where these wind slabs existed did not produce any signs of instability unless the slopes was previously undercut and unsupported. Even then only small shallow cracks occurred.

Strong NE winds were transporting snow along the ridgeline of Incline Lake Peak and scouring the exposed near and above treeline slopes. Snow deposition and wind slab formation was very limited on the now leeward W-SW-S aspects. Only 2-4 inches of wind deposited snow existed in isolated areas near the ridgeline as of noon. It seemed as if most of the snow was sublimating as it blew through the air.

Video: NE winds moving snow along the Incline Lake Peak ridgeline.

Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

NE wind Incline Lake Peak

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
50% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Strong
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Northeast
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: 

A bank of cloud cover existed over the mountains on the east side of Lake Tahoe from Incline Lake Peak south. Some snow flurries occurred in the Incline Lake Peak area during the morning.