New Snow, Rain Crusts, and Facets on Red Lake Peak

Location Name: 
Red Lake Peak
Region: 
Carson Pass Area
Date and time of observation: 
Sat, 11/29/2014 - 12:55
Location Map: 
United States
38° 43' 2.388" N, 119° 58' 45.408" 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: 

4-6 inches of new snow had accumulated above 8000 ft. on Red Lake Peak. On the N and NE aspects above 8000 ft. the new snow fell on top of a shallow snowpack consisting of a mix of rain crusts and weak layers of sugary snow (facets). A plethora of anchors also still exists on these slopes, and these anchors still protrude through the shallow snowpack in the vast majority of areas on Red Lake Peak. In the small areas where patches of more continuous snow cover did exist, hand pits, snowpit tests, and general observations indicated that the snowpack remains weak and that fractures can travel through the layers of weak sugary snow. The rain crust remained present in the snowpack up to the top of Red Lake Peak ~10,000 ft. 

On the E-SE-S-SW-W aspects the new snow accumulated on top of bare ground. 

Photos 1 and 2: The N-NE slopes of Red Lake Peak. Lots of visible rocks on the slopes and only a few smaller patches of continuous snowcover. 

Photo 3: Looking up at the NE-S aspects of Red Lake Peak from the lake. 

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: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Cooling
Wind Direction: 
Northeast
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour