Wind Slabs and Loose Wet Snow on Fireplug

Location Name: 
Fireplug
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 04/14/2017 - 14:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 19' 29.1504" N, 119° 54' 24.0228" W
See map: Google Maps
US


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

On the north aspects of the Fireplug soft, cold, and unconsolidated snow existed on slopes sheltered from the winds. Ski cuts and observations on these sheltered slopes did not reveal any signs of instability. As sunshine started to reach the NE and E aspects the snow surface started to become wet and sticky by mid-day.

In areas where wind-loading had occurred wind slabs and wind crusts existed. Ski cuts on wind-loaded test slopes consistently produced cracking on slopes that had been previously undercut and wind slab depths ranged from 6 inches to 12 inches. On non-undercut slopes, ski cuts only produced cracking in 1 or 2 isolated areas. Extended Column Tests and Propagation Saw Tests did not yield unstable results. Other wind slab avalanches appeared to have occurred on Tamarack Peak today. Click here for details.

The SE-S aspects also held about 6 to 8 inches of soft cold snow on above a rain crust in the morning hours. This snow had transitioned to loose unconsolidated wet snow by the afternoon and ski cuts on these aspects produced loose wet avalanches that entrained all of the snow above the rain crust. 

 

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
More detailed information about the weather: 

Mostly sunny all day in this area. A few clouds did blow through but they were few and far between.