SnowFlurry 10 2019/20 | Nanu, some snow profiles are not complete

You can always get a feel for what is going on in the snowpack.

Profiles down to the ground are interesting in spring, for example, when there is a risk of the snowpack becoming completely soaked, which can reactivate deeper-lying weak layers. Or if there is a pronounced weak layer near the ground that could be disturbed in areas with less snow or that you want to observe.

In high winter, on the other hand, when a thick layer of snow prevails, it is sufficient to dig a hole about 100 -150 cm deep. This is because a single skier can only disturb the snow cover up to a certain depth. With soft, unbound snow, the penetration depth is approx. 80 -100 cm, with bound snow it is max. 50 cm.

Note: The softer the snow, the greater the penetration depth. The harder the snow, the larger the surface area and shallower the penetration depth.

Snow profile from 19.1.2020 Rietzer Grieskogel | SW | 2446m

A little information first: When digging a snow profile, choose areas with less snow, as these are more informative. However, there can also be several meters of snow cover at the profile location - it is sufficient to shovel out approx. 1.5 meters, unless you like to shovel, in which case of course you should shovel right down to the ground.

It is important that the total snow depth is indicated. You start picking up the layers at the snow surface and work your way down layer by layer as far as you have shoveled. What is underneath is left free (see profile).

Blue:

Cold, loose fresh snow with beautiful dendrites (snow stars) from 18.1. to 19.1.2020

It snowed with only a light wind, so the crystals were not destroyed.

Green:

Snowfall on 18.1.20, bound fresh snow

Red:

Edged crystals due to the accumulating transformation before the snowfall on 18.01.2020

Yellow:

Crust formation in the fair weather phase from the beginning of January.

The angular layer between the two crusts is a possible weak layer as soon as a suitable board lies above it.

Purple:

From the crust downwards you can find a few to many frozen water columns.

In the fair weather phases, the snow surface became moist, allowing water to seep in. This made its way down and froze again in the colder layers. This creates small, large, thin and thick frozen columns in the snowpack.

The layers were not recorded from 0 - 80 cm