Observations from Echo Summit

Location Name: 
Becker / Talking Ridge
Region: 
Echo Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Fri, 12/17/2010 - 12:30
Location Map: 
United States
38° 49' 52.9824" N, 120° 3' 55.872" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Recent loading by new snow, wind, or rain
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

pic 1: I dug hand pits all along the Talking/Becker ridge - on most apects except westerly, in the trees, in the open, on the steeps, etc. Nowhere could I find buried surface hoar still standing. Instead, it was presenting more like a thin breakable crust, with the very large hoar crystals still intact, but knocked over and getting compressed together by the snow above. With no signs of natural releases, even in the very prone areas between Becker and Talking, I believe the collapse of surface hoar took place very early in today's precep event.

pic 2: 10 to 15cm of new snow on top of the collapsed hoar layer was comprised of rimed PPs and graupel, and was "upside down" in density. Several compression tests (columns only isolated 30cm deep) in various locations showed easy Q2 results on the less dense layer just above the collapsed hoar. This was also the layer that failed when kicking cornices, though no propagation was observed.

On northerly aspects, a thin layer of 1mm NSFs was observed just below the collapsed surface hoar. Grains failed to bond in my clenched hand, and angular grains are still visible under my scope, but appear to be rounding.

Snowpack photos: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Yes
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Moderate
Precipitation: 
Snow
Air temperature trend: 
Static
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
Less than 1 in. per hour
More detailed information about the weather: