Melt-freeze focused to southerly aspects on Relay Peak.

Location Name: 
Relay Peak
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 01/07/2015 - 10:45
Location Map: 
United States
39° 18' 42.6816" N, 119° 56' 39.894" W
See map: Google Maps
US



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

Snow surface melt at the upper elevations in this area is highly focused to SE-S-SW aspects. At 11:15 am in the 9,000' to 10,000' elevation range, a thin surface melt-freeze crust remained frozen and breakable on open sun exposed E aspects while SE-S aspects at the same elevation were marginally skier supportable with 10 to 20 cm of wet snow at the surface. No signs of wet snow instability were observed. Steeper, shaded N aspects were without a surface melt-freeze crust.

Snowpit data on an E aspect at 10,080' shows evidence of recent faceting, but the overall snowpack has now warmed and the temperature gradient subsided. Old basal facets are now well rounded.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Calm
Air temperature trend: 
Warming