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Observation:

Observation Date
1/28/2013
Observer Name
jg
Location Name or Route
Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
The sun and blue sky poked out a bit early in the day, but for the most part, it was cloudy with light wind from the northwest and on again/off again instability showers. Single digits in the morning with temps reaching the mid teens by afternoon at 9000 ft. Felt wintry today.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
10"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Right side up storm. 6"-12" of light density snow was found today.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Some collapsing ascending and descending.
Comments
Traveled today from 7400-10,000 ft., west thru north aspects, slope angles to 33ยบ. For the most part, the new snow was bonding well with the old snow surface and there was not enough new snow to overload the now buried facets. The warm days last week help stabilize the top 6" of facets and they were 1 finger and 4 finger snow. The new snow is sitting on 1-4 finger rounding facets which in turn is sitting on very loose and weak faceted snow (fist) about 15"-18" from the snow surface. Although I did get results at the new snow/old snow interface (CT8-20 Q2) most failures were 15"-18" down failing on 1 to 4 finger facets/fist facets interface (CT12-20 Q2). I dug around a lot and there is a lot of variation in the snow pack from place to place, even in close proximity to one another. It seems like the term has been used a lot this season and I was trying to avoid using it but spacial variability will make decision making tricky. More snow and wind will tip the scale.