Observation: Douglas Island

Location: Mt. Troy

Date:
Observer:
Michael Riederer
Route & General Observations

100 cm pit for compression test near the trees at the base of Mt. Troy gullies. Rain in town, warmed up from the blower snowfall. Rain crust forming, air temp 31°F, blowing snow 1-2 cm/hr, S wind 10-15 kts, 5ish miles visibility.

Red Flags
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Observer Comments

Sunday Feb 4 2024, 11am

Recent snowfall (wetter/heavy flakes, 31F) on top of blower from late in the previous week. Recent warming of 20 °F at Powder Patch.

Wet snow beginning to form rain crust at higher elevations, lower elevations below saddle were soft throughout. Pole assessment on tour up: relatively isothermal-feeling fresh snow below the rain crust; everything seemed homogenous within the new snow with a bit of hollow facets at the first rain layer from The Great Meltdown the week prior.

Compression Test results: CT 26 at the 50 cm Meltdown crust, CT 33 at the 100 cm crust

Weather & Snow Characteristics
Please provide details to help us determine the weather and snowpack during the time this observation took place.
Weather

31 °F, recent snow ~1-2 cm/hr. S wind 10-15 kts. 5ish miles visibility.

Snow surface

Rain crust forming above 1500 ft, below it all recent snow was warming. Newest snow seemed to be forming a crust. 50cm to Great Meltdown rain crust from Jan 30.

Snowpack

Snowpack depth: 250 cm

Compression Test column depth: 100 cm

CT 15-26 at 50 cm, see video (https://youtube.com/shorts/2PSRbQsxukU?si=uoaWwVyu3y1jvAp5)
CT 33 at 100 cm

Another group nearby had similar results.

Photos & Video
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Powder Patch Jan 22 - Feb 4  

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