Transitional snow, rain crust, and corn on Rose Knob Peak.

Location Name: 
Rose Knob Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sat, 03/08/2014 - 10:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 7.9188" N, 119° 57' 33.0012" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

Below 8,500', snow on E-SE-S aspects in this area was established melt-freeze on top of rain crust. Above 8,500' the snow became transitional with patches of surface snow unaffected by melt-freeze. Above 8,800' up to 4 cm of cold surface snow remained well bonded to the rain crust below it. It appeared that cold surface snow above 8,800' on E-SE-S aspects would later undergo its first melt phase today. Rain crust formed following the March 5-6 precipitation event was noted on all aspects all the way to the summit at 9,650'.

Photo 1: Wind scoured rain crust and cold snow not yet affected by melt freeze on the south ridge at 8,880' at 9:30am (noted lat/long).

Photo 2: Rain crust on N aspect at summit (9,650'), 1 cm thick, pencil hard.

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: 
East