Consolidating Snow on Silver Peak

Location Name: 
Silver Peak
Region: 
Cabin Creek, Deep Creek, or Pole Creek Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sun, 03/02/2014 - 13:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 13' 23.2788" N, 120° 14' 37.3812" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

2 inches of new snow rested on top of yesterday's more dense snow above 7500 ft. Below 7500 ft. only about half an inch of new snow had accumulated today. Below the new snow a thin mostly refrozen melt freeze layer existed. Observations on below treeline slopes including ski cuts on test slopes, hand pits, pole probing, and general observations did not reveal any signs of unstable slabs. The ski cuts did trigger some minor roller balls and pinwheels (see photo 2), and one ski cut triggered a sluff that entrained the 2 inches of new snow above the refreezing melt freeze crust (photo 1).

Along near and above treeline ridgelines wind slabs did still exist and southwest winds were transporting snow onto the leeward aspects. Stomping on wind loaded roll overs did illicit some minor cracking but did not produce any wind slab failures. Snowpit tests indicated that the bonds between the recent wind slabs and the snow below them continue to gain strength. 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: 

Steady snowfall throughout the day produced about 2 inches of new accumulation around 8000ft and about half an inch around 7500 ft. Snow level seemed to be at 6800 ft with rain falling below that. Along the upper elevation exposed ridgelines moderate southwest winds were transporting snow onto the leeward aspects.