US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

Introduction:

Good morning, this is Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory for the Wasatch Plateau/Manti Skyline Region, including, but not limited to Ephraim, Huntington and Fairview Canyons. This advisory is brought to you through a partnership of Utah State Parks and the USFS. Today is Saturday, March 18th, 2006, at 8:00 am.

If you have been out in the backcountry, please post your OBSERVATIONS with us!

To check out past advisories, go to ARCHIVE. To check out the current, go to our WEATHER page.

If you would like to see some SNOWPIT profiles, click the link…and more to come.

Current Conditions:

Heavy Snow Warning in effect until 4 pm MST Sunday. It looks like the snow will continue to fall. The past two days have warmed up above freezing in the afternoon. Expect ½” thick sun crusts on South and West aspects to be covered by the 1”-2” of snow we have already received this morning. Today will be a great day to get out and enjoy these late winter snowfalls. The best bet to find powder will be on North through East aspects…this is also where you will find all the monster cornices.

Click the links below to find out up to date information at these weather stations on the Skyline.

Mammoth/Cottonwood SNOTEL (8,800’): 60” of snow on the ground. It is 21 degrees out at 6:00 am.

Seeley Creek SNOTEL (10,000’): There is 47” of snow on the ground. It is 24 degrees out at 6:00 am.

There is about 72” of snow on the ground at the Miller Flat Trailhead.

Mountain Weather:

Heavy Snow Warning in effect until 4 pm MST Sunday
Today: Snow. Snow accumulation 3 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 90 percent. South wind 9 mph. High 29.
Tonight: Snow. Snow accumulation 3 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 80 percent. South wind 3 mph. Low 12.
Sunday: Snow. Snow accumulation 4 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 90 percent. Southwest wind 10 mph. High 23.
Sunday Night: Snow. Snow accumulation 2 inches. Probability of measurable precipitation 60 percent. Light wind. Low 8.

Avalanche Conditions: (Click here for the International Avalanche Danger Scale)

There hasn’t been enough snow falling out of the sky or wind to blow snow around to change our avalanche danger this morning. If we do receive more snow than expected or the winds pick up to greater than 15 mph today, you can expect the avalanche danger to rise… but this slow moving storm is doing just that, moving slow.

Today the BOTTOM LINE will be an avalanche danger of MODERATE on all steep slopes of the Wasatch Plateau. Danger zones are upper elevation, E – NW facing slopes or anywhere else with significant wind loading. Cornice falls are another potential problem. We will update this message next Friday. Thanks for checking in.

*The advisory is also available via recorded message at (800) 648-7433