Snowpit from Cup Lake

Location Name: 
Ralston
Region: 
Echo Summit Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 01/16/2013 - 11:30
Location Map: 
United States
38° 49' 38.298" N, 120° 5' 36.3876" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Observation made by: Professional Observer
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

Rapid warming on Ralston's SE aspect, which warmed to above freezing by 9am.

Pit and video: From W aspect at Cup Lake, where wind slab remained cold and very hard, with temps measured at -10c and boot and ski pen each only 1cm. Pencil+ hard slab above 4f hard DFs was reactive to all column tests performed. No cracking or whoomphing observed, likely due to difficult trigger.

Well developed, hard sastrugi observed on aspects exposed to wind but not yet stripped down to previous MFcr. E aspects stripped of all loose snow. Although E winds were strong, no loose snow remained for additional transport.

Small loose wet activity easy to trigger on steep solar aspects below treeline by noon. Above treeline, winds were preventing warming below top 5cm of surface on even direct solar aspects.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Strong
Precipitation: 
None
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
East
Accumulation rate: 
None
More detailed information about the weather: