Observation: NWAC Forecaster

All Observations

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
April 16, 2022
Submitted:
April 16, 2022
Observer:
NWAC Forecaster - Irene Henninger
Zone or Region:
West Central
Location:
Lake 22

Signs of Unstable Snow

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

Media/Attachments

Snow cover at 2000ft.
A profile at a glance of the Lake 22 snowfall amounts, with about 6 feet of snow stacked up on the boardwalk that runs around the south side of the lake.
Small point release rollerballs which probably ran a couple days prior, seen on a west-facing slope near Lake 22.
Very small loose dry avalanches which ran off the steep cliff north-facing terrain above Lake 22.
One slab avalanche which probably occurred around 4/8 in the Lake 22 cirque. It was a climax, which ran off the rocks. D1.5
1mm surface hoar found amongst the stellars at Lake 22. This was a thin coating over the crust.
The snowpack was 2m at Lake 22!

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Partly Cloudy
Temperature:
30°F
Wind:
Calm

Cloud cover increased and snow showers began at noon.

Very small loose dry avalanches ran in previous days from the steep north facing cliffs by the lake. One outlier slab avalanche ran off a very steep, cliffy feature in the same area, which climaxed on a rock face, D1.5. Rollerballing had also occurred in recent days.

Snowpack Observations

The most impressive finding of the day was the abrupt change in snow depth, from patchy snow at 2000ft to a consistent 6ft snowpack at Lake 22, at approximately 2500ft.

I dug a pit on a west-facing aspect on the shores of the lake, and found a well-consolidated dry upper snowpack, broken up with a few crusts. The 4/8 layer was still moist and soft, about 30cm below the surface. A thin coating of surface hoar was present on the surface, mixed in with stellars and decomposing forms.

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