Wet Snow Jakes Peak

Location Name: 
Jake's Peak
Region: 
West Shore Area
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 12/17/2015 - 01:00
Location Map: 
United States
38° 58' 5.304" N, 120° 7' 1.452" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Settlement cones around trees, ski cuts on steep test slopes, general observations, and most snowpit data indicated continued consolidation and settlement in the snowpack. The recent snow continues to bond to the the old snow layers and to itself. The older snow at the base of the snowpack continues to solidify. One snowpit test did yield results that indicated that fractures could still propagate along the weak layer just below the Dec. 13th rain crust where a layer of collapsed surface hoar resides. 

E-SE aspects had wet surface snow early in the day up to the higher elevations. The surface snow on the north aspects remained soft and unconsolidated down to about 7500 ft. Below that point snow on all aspects became very wet and sticky by 1pm. Some skier triggered small roller balls and pinwheels did start occurring at this time on N-NE-E aspects below 7000 ft. 

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Fog and light mist moved into the area between 12 and 1 pm.