20100220 weather data for the 24 hours to 5.30am at 800m

Previous Day Field Observations: 

Yesterday in Hakuba's backcountry: around Happo was warm below tree line, patches of ice and thin powder above tree line with gentle wind protected areas having quite good powder skiing - thankfully off the radar of those that head to the popular spots.

The Feb 11 rain crust is up to 100cm thick in some places on Happo with less soft surface snow than in the deeper backcountry around Tsugaike.

On all aspects below tree line, and on solar aspects at tree line, there is a soft Feb 14th thermal crust that seems to have a high concentration of dust from the Gobi Desert (Kousa). This crust is soft and about 2cm thick with a 5cm thick layer of facets between it and the Feb 11 ice. This is becoming a layer of concern.

Extreme winds (100kph) overnight from the NW on Happo has most likely stripped the ridge clear of soft snow.

Date: 
20100220
24hr max temp: 
2C
24hr min temp: 
-5C
Cloud Cover: 
Overcast
Precip type and rate: 
S-1
Present temp: 
-5C
24hr new snow (HN24): 
2cm
New snow from current storm (HST): 
6cm
Snow height (HS): 
176cm
Weight of new snow (100mm tube dia): 
0gm
Water equiv of new snow: 
0mm
Density new snow: 
0kg/m3
Surface crystal size: 
1mm
Surface crystal form: 
New Snow
Wind speed: 
Extreme
Wind direction: 
NW
Intense
Barometric Pressure: 
918mbar
Baro trend (last 3 hours): 
Steady
Diary Type: 
Damian's weather diary