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Professional Observation

       

Basic Information

Observation Details

Observation Date:
January 27, 2023
Submitted:
January 27, 2023
Observer:
Everett Phillips, Nick Lozica | ESAC Forecaster
Zone or Region:
Convict Creek
Location:
Weak snow above treeline on Mt. Aggie

Signs of Unstable Snow

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

Key Points

Toured up to Mt. Aggie from Convict Lake today to assess faceting in the upper snowpack at all elevations:

  • Mostly calm winds with few signs of blowing snow above treeline today
  • West aspects ATL seem to have good coverage from a distance, but have a shallow snowpack
  • There are areas of shallow snow at all elevations where winds have eroded the snow from mid- January storms
  • The shallow areas are faceting, leaving a soft brittle snowpack under thin wind crusts

It might be worth keeping track of the height of snow above treeline where wind scouring from multiple directions has left some slopes with less snow than expected.

Media

HS ~ 60 cm across the slope. WNW 11000' on MT. aGGIE
Wind-crust over F hard facets. Soft and brittle. WNW 11,000' Mt. Aggie
The snowpack is weak in shallow areas above the treeline. WNW 11,000' Mt. Aggie.

Advanced Information

Weather Summary

Cloud Cover:
Partly Cloudy
Temperature:
28 F @ 11,000' 1:30 PM
Wind:
Calm

Increasing clouds throughout the day today. Clear skies in the morning and scattered clouds by afternon. Winds were calm near and above treeline, but light winds were blowing downslope (south wind in this case) in narrow valleys. A snow plume indicating west wind was seen over Bloody Mountain in the aftrernoon.

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