SNOWPACK FIELD DAY RESULTS

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Snow: Lecture, Prep, Field

Results - Snowpack -  2019 Snowpack Profile -- 1/26/19 Snowpack profiles, below C1 Snotel & climate data (chart pdf, dataset xlsx) -- image in right panel Discussion Do you see a correspondence between layers in your snowpits (graph below) and weather history (graph in right panel)?  If yes or no, explain in terms of: Snowpack accumulation (suggesting possible layers) Consolidation (as shown by snowpack depth and density) Melt periods, from Tmax Periods of depth hoar formation (faceting), from Tmin (& Tmax) record See also - Overall Lessons Points re snow Lesson Points for the snowpack field activity Additional Discussion under 2013 Results C1 Weather Record and Snotel Snowpack (click to enlarge) 2018 Snowpack Profile -- 1/20/18 Snowpack profiles - individual plots (pdf, 600k) -- images below C1 Snotel & climate data (in pdf above, and xlsx, 100k) -- image to the right Discussion Do you see a correspondence between layers in your snowpits (graphs below) and weather history (graph in right panel)?  If yes or no, explain in terms of: Snowpack accumulation (suggesting possible layers I-IV) Consolidation (as shown by snowpack depth and density) Melt periods, from Tmax Periods of depth hoar formation (faceting), from Tmin (& Tmax) record See also - Overall Lessons Points re snow Lesson Points for the snowpack field activity Discussion under 2013 Results Pit Profiles  (click to enlarge) -- Open Deep Open Middle Open Shallowest C1 Weather Record and Snotel Snowpack (click to enlarge) 2017 Snowpack Profile -- 1/22/17 Snowpack profiles - individual plots (pdf, 700k) -- images below C1 Snotel & climate data (in pdf above, and xlsx, 100k) -- image to the right Discussion Do you see a correspondence between layers in your snowpits (graphs below) and weather history (graph in right panel)?  In terms of: Snowpack accumulation Consolidation (as shown by snowpack depth and density) Melt periods, from Tmax and Diurnal Temperature Range (DTR) record note: strong positive DTR indicates periods of heating (why?) Periods of depth hoar formation (faceting), from Tmin (& Tmax) record See also - Overall Lessons Points re snow Lesson Points for the snowpack field activity Discussion under 2013 Results Pit Profiles  (click to enlarge) Open Deep Open Middle Open Shallowest Forest C1 Weather Record and Snotel Snowpack (click to enlarge) 2016 Snowpack Profile -- 1/23/16 Snowpack profiles - composite image (image below) & individual plots (pdf, 600k) C1 Snotel & climate data (xlsx, 100k) -- composite image to the right Photos -- right panel Discussion Do you see a correspondence between layers in your snowpits and weather history (graph in right panel)?  In terms of: Snowpack accumulation Consolidation (as shown by snowpack depth and density) Melt periods, from Tmax and DTR (diurnal temperature range) record note: strong positive DTR indicates periods of heating (why?) Periods of depth hoar formation (faceting), from Tmin (& Tmax) record See also Overall Lessons Points re snow Lesson Points for the snowpack field activity Discussion under 2013 Results 2016 Pit Profiles--  for individual plots see pdf  (click to enlarge) C1 Weather Record and Snotel Snowpack (click to enlarge) Click here for a possible interpretation of graph with respect to layers for Open Medium & Deep pits Photos (click to enlarge): (c) T.Kittel Shallow pit Medium depth pit Deep pit 2015 Snowpack Profile -- 1/24/15 Snowpack profiles - composite image (image below) & individual plots (pdf, 600k) Lower layers in "open-intermediate" were faceted, rather than rounded as indicated Dashed diagonal line (thick line, in "forest" plot) show the 10decC/meter the threshold for Temperature Gradient processes. C1 Snotel & climate data (xls, 300k) -- composite image to the right Discussion Do you see a correspondence between layers in your snowpits and weather history (graph in right panel) of: Snowpack accumulation Consolidation (as shown by snowpack depth and density) Melt periods, from Tmax and DTR (diurnal temperature range) record note: strong positive DTR indicates periods of heating (why?) Periods of depth hoar formation (faceting), from Tmin (& Tmax) record See also Overall Lessons Points re snow Lesson Points for the snowpack field activity Discussion under 2013 Results 2015 Pit Profiles--  for individual plots see pdf  (click to enlarge) C1 Weather Record and Snotel Snowpack -- (click to enlarge) 2014 Snowpack Profile -- Snowpack profiles - composite image (image below) & individual plots (pdf, 600k) Lower layers in "open-intermediate" were faceted, rather than rounded as indicated Dashed diagonal line (thick line, in "forest" plot) show the 10decC/meter the threshold for Temperature Gradient processes. C1 Snotel & climate data (xls, 300k) -- composite image to the right Can you find a 1:1 correspondence between the layers in the Pit Profiles and the Precipitation record? Once you've given it a go, see one interpretation: (pdf, 70k) Or are some layers missing or others less certain, and why?  Be sure to look at the Temperature record at the same time. See Discussion under 2013 2014 Pit Profiles--  for individual plots see pdf  (click to enlarge) Weather Record and Snotel Snowpack**-- ** For an interpretation of 2014 Snowpack Pit Layers based on the above graph of  Precipitation, SnoTel, and Temperature records: See pdf  (70k) Photos (click to enlarge): Shallow open site Intermediate depth, open site - Hardness assessment Deep, open site - Density profile measurements photos (c)T.Kittel 2013 1/19/13 Snowpack profile Annotated profile graph and C1 Snotel & climate data (pdf, 1M) Discussion -- Can you interpret the pit results with respect to precipitation and temperature records?  Such as, the occurrence of and changes in: Layers TG snow Crusts What can you deduce from the temperature profiles?  Such as: What has been the magnitude of the nighttime snowpack T gradient (using Tmin values)?  And with what consequences for the pack? And the daytime near-surface daytime snowpack T gradient?   With what consequences? Refer back to the topic's Lessons Points - and those for the exercise Datasheets (pdf, 1M) Winter weather record up through Snowpit day (pdf, 200k; xls, 300k) C1 new snowfall, precipitation, and temperature record - from Jen Morse "Shallow Forest" site click on images to enlarge Light orange tint to snowpack in right-hand image is from color correction.  photos (c)T.Kittel 2013 Pit Profiles --       (click to enlarge, also see results pdf for annotated profile graph) Weather Record and Snotel Snowpack -- 2012 1/21/12 Snowpack profile Profile graph and C1 Snotel & climate data (pdf, 160k) Can you interpret the pit results with respect to precipitation and temperature records?  Such as: Occurrence of TG, ET, WM snow Crusts Layers Datasheets (pdf, 1M) Winter weather record up through Snowpit day (pdf , 400k) C1 new snowfall, precipitation, and temperature record - from Jen Morse Day's photos by Brian Inglis - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2880773093268.2132050.1078260082&type=1&l=ea5401c149 2012 Pit Profiles -  See annotated graph in results pdf 2011 1/15/11 Snowpack profile datasheets (pdf, 700k) Winter weather record up through Snowpit day (pdf , 400k) C1 new snowfall, precipitation, and temperature record - from Kurt Chowanski Note: The last 2 pages ask for your interpretation Results composite handout (pdf) Selected snowpit pix: click images to enlarge Deep snowpit (pack depth=101cm) Very shallow snowpit (pack depth=39cm) Forest snowpit (pack depth=52cm) [photos TKittel] 2010 1/23/10 Snowpack profile datasheets (pdf, 700k) Snowpack layers pix (jpg's, ~200k) Forest sfc layer Opening-- deep site#1 conditions mid site#2 layers & crystals shallow site#3 layers Blackboard  graphs (jpg, 200k) 2009-10 Winter weather record up through Snowpit day - C1 new snow and temperature record - from Kurt Chowanski charts: pdf (250k) data: xls (70k) click image to enlarge [photo TKittel] 2009 2/08/09 Snowpack profile datasheets (pdf, 700k) Blackboard  graphs (Forest, OpenShallow, OpenDeep sites: jpg's, 800k - c/o Sara Fairchild) 2008-09 Winter weather record up through Snowpit day - C1 new snow and temperature record (charts: pdf, 40k - data: xls, 70k) - from Kurt Chowanski 2008 2/10/08 Snowpack profile datasheets (pdf, 720k), blackboard  graphs (jpg, 3M - c/o Kurt Chowanski) Pit 1 T profile plots (pdf, 200k) & data (xls, 40k) 2006 2/19/06 Snowpack profile datasheets (pdf, 900k), blackboard  graphs (jpg, 1.3M - c/o Jyh) Red dust layer Photos of the red dust layer, 15-16 Feb 06 event:  CAIC site, MRS & Niwot Ridge photos effects of dust layer continue through season: 30 April 06 snowpack report Retrospective article: Intermountain West Climate Summary 2005 Spring '05 snowpack profile datasheets (pdf, 380k)

rev.  5 Fev 19