The last avalanche forecast for the 2023-2024 season will post on April 21st. Thank you to all who contributed to the avalanche center this season through observations, volunteer time, and/or financial contributions.

Small Windslab Slide & Snowpit Meiss Meadows

Location Name: Meiss Meadows Region: Carson Pass Area Observation Date & Time: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 - 13:30
Location: 38.713000, -120.007000 See map: CalTopo	Is this an Avalanche Observation?: No Conditions Alerts: Avalanche Activity Recent Loading›More Than a Foot of New Snow Terrain Alerts: Terrain Matches the Advisory

Observation made by: Public

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Observation

Description of Snow, Weather, and Avalanche Conditions:

As a part of the AIARE II course tour in the Meiss Meadows area - we observed a naturally triggered wind slab avalanche on the steep terrain directly below the cornice located above and to the SW of the pit site.

Noted sugary faceted snow below the topmost crust layer; no signs of significant consolidation of the top 40cm of new storm snow yet.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph:

Snowpack Details

Total Snow Depth:

230cm

Persistent Weak Layers:

Not observed

Terrain Details

Terrain: elevations:

Below Treeline

Terrain: aspects:

Avalanche Details

Avalanche Type:

Wind Slab

Failure Plane/Weak Layer:

Unknown

Trigger

Trigger:

Natural

Size

Destructive Size:

D1 Relatively harmless to people.

Weather Details

Elevation of Observation:

8000 - 9000 ft.

Blowing Snow:

Moderate

Wind Direction:

Southwest

Wind Speed:

Moderate

Sky Cover:

Broken - Mostly Cloudy - more than 4/8 and less than 8/8

Highest Precipitation Rate:

Light Snowfall (S1 (S-1 = 1 cm /~.5 in per hour)

Precipitation:

Snow

Air temperature:

Below Freezing

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