Wet Snow on Fireplug

Location Name: 
Fireplug
Region: 
Mount Rose Area
Date and time of observation: 
Wed, 02/24/2016 - 14:00
Location Map: 
United States
39° 19' 29.1504" N, 119° 54' 17.3052" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Rapid warming
Obvious avalanche path
Observation made by: Forecaster
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

As of 2 pm this afternoon, some sun exposed SE-S-SW aspects held 7 to 10 cm of wet snow existed above a firm melt freeze crust and other sun exposed SE-S-SW aspects held wet sticky transitional snow. Ski cuts and tests on some slopes produced pinwheels that measured up to 1 m in diameter before they broke apart while rolling down the hill. More shaded E facing aspects held a breakable melt freeze crusts and wind packed snow above colder drier snow. On the NE-N-NW aspects a mix of cold soft snow and wind packed snow on the surface. Snowpit data and observations did not reveal any signs of instabilities on the northerly aspects. 

Photo: 7-10 cm of wet melt freeze snow above a firm supportable melt-freeze crust at 9000 ft. at 1:30 pm. 

Video: Pinwheels up to 1 m in diameter triggered by rolling a snowball down a SE facing slope at 2:30 pm at 9200 ft. 

Snowpack photos: 
Snowpit videos (tests, etc): 

Snow Pinwheels 1m in Diameter on Fireplug

Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
No
Cloud Cover: 
Clear
Air temperature: 
Above Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

Moderate SW to W winds.