It snowed lightly most of the day and the wind was calm with an occasional breeze from the north. The skies were overcast, but the sun peeked out just as we headed downhill. Temperature in the parking lot was 30 degrees.
Observation: Summit
Location: Fresno
We parked at Manitoba and toured along the highway for a bit before heading up towards Fresno.
Weather
Snow surface
Surface varied with aspect and elevation. There was an inch of new soft snow on top of a supportable crust at 1,200'. The amount of snow on top of the crust increased with elevation to 4" at our pit at 2,600'. As we toured towards the south there was more evidence of wind. The wind had scoured to the crust in places and deposited in 4-8" drifts in others.
Snowpack
There was 2' of snow at our pit location which was at 2,600' on an East aspect. There was 4" of new snow on top of the Thanksgiving crust which was 4" thick (see photo). The snowpack under the crust was right side up and we did not find facets at the ground. We did not get any concerning test results. It's looking like a Maritime snowpack in the mid to lower elevations, which was fun to see in the Summit zone.
A portion of the Thanksgiving crust. 11.28.2023
View to the North. We noticed some scouring on SE faces in the upper elevations. 11.28.2023
Right side up snow pit below Thanksgiving crust and new snow. 11.28.2023