Pinwheels and Corn on Incline Lake Peak

Location Name: 
Incline Lake Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 03/04/2016 - 13:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 17' 40.8732" N, 119° 56' 4.8336" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

Wet snow that resulted in isolated pinwheels up to 2 ft in diameter existed on the N-NE-ENE aspects of Incline Lake Peak up to about 8900 ft. Above this elevation the surface snow remained colder and drier on these aspects. Snowpit tests did not reveal any deeper signs of instabilities on these aspects (ECTN @ 39.294321, -119.936392 - ECTX @ 39.294686, -119.939267). ESE-SE-S aspects held 1-2 inches of corn snow above a supportable melt-freeze crust at all elevations on Incline Peak and no signs of instability were evident on these aspects. 

Photo: Human triggered pinwheel on a NE aspect at 8800 ft. located at the coordinates attached to this ob. 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
75% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Periods of sun mixed with full cloud cover through the day.