Observation: NWAC Forecaster

All Observations

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
April 14, 2023
Submitted:
April 14, 2023
Observer:
NWAC Forecaster - Matt Primomo
Zone or Region:
East Central
Location:
Wedge Mountain

Signs of Unstable Snow

Recent Avalanches? 
None Observed
Cracking? 
None Experienced
Collapsing? 
None Experienced

Media/Attachments

A trace of graupel over the old crust.
Profile on a NE aspect at 4,200ft showed melt forms to the ground and a generally strong spring snowpack.
Shallow but wide crown, likely a wet slab that may have run during the atmospheric river last weekend. East aspect at ~6,000ft
Bear tracks
Nice turns in corn snow.
South aspects are melting out, while east and north aspects are holding onto a snowpack. South Wedge Mountain.
Chumstick Mountain's south side is holding onto snow higher up, but melting out below treeline.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Mostly Sunny
Wind:
Light

Light winds, no blowing snow. Clouds were slowly building during the day.

An interesting, shallow but wide crown can be seen in one of the photos. This was probably from a wet slab during last weekends atmospheric river event.

Snowpack Observations

We traveled up to 4,200ft on Wedge Mountain, finding surprisingly good coverage on the road down low. The surface crust was generally supportable, but I could punch through up to boot top on an east aspect by noon.
A profile on a NE aspect at 4,200ft revealed a generally strong snowpack, with melt forms to the ground. The depth was 100cm. A more recent storm layer was holding water 20cm down in a thin saturated snow layer, above what I believe was the crust from 3/31.
The descent was nice shallow corn snow, and it didn't entrain or rollerball at all.

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