Lunch Peak in the Cabinets

Location Name: 
Lunch Peak
Region: 
Cabinet Mountains
Date and time of observation: 
Thu, 12/17/2020 - 14:00
Location Map: 
United States
48° 22' 29.4204" N, 116° 11' 36.7872" W
See map: Google Maps
US


Red Flags: 
Observation made by: Public
Snowpit Observations
More detailed information about the snowpack: 

One foot of new snow overnight on 12-16-20.  The storm came in cold and warmed up creating a low density weak layer 10 inches in depth in the storm layer.  This weak layer was not a problem in the pit but would be where windloaded and more deeply buried or under a firmer slab.  The weakest layer was the upper facet layer at about 18 inches deep.  It still took alot of force to break and did not fail in an Extended Column Test.  The lower facet layer was also still intact but also did not fail in testing.  Above the upper facet layer was a layer of well formed surface hoar.  It also did not fail in testing.  It's just another weak layer in the pack that could be a problem in the future, or not.  We'll have to wait and see.

Snowpit or crown profile photo or graph: 
Any other comments about the observation or links to outside pages that have more info on the observation: 
Weather Observations
Blowing Snow: 
Cloud Cover: 
100% of the sky covered by clouds
Air temperature: 
Below Freezing
Wind Speed: 
Light
Precipitation: 
Air temperature trend: 
Warming
Wind Direction: 
Southwest
Accumulation rate: 
More detailed information about the weather: 

The weather was hanging right about freezing at 6,000 feet.  No new snow since about 0500.  A break in the storm before a warming trend and more snow for the weekend.  Temps could climb enough to result in rain at highest elevations.  This would be bad for stability.  Rain will quickly increase the avalanche hazard.  Heavy wet snow will do the same.