Observation: Mirror Lake Environs

Observation Date
4/16/2024
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Mirror Lake Environs
Location Name or Route
Mirror Lake Hwy/Hayden Fork
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Mostly cloudy skies with some brief periods of blue sky, the northwest winds were light and temperatures this morning were mid to upper thirties.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
3"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
The Monday storm did not really materialize in the Uintas, maybe one inch at the trail head and around 3" up the highway at 9,500'. There was some graupel mixed in with the new snow which helped cushion some of the firm snow underneath. The snow was getting unsupportable mainly off the road in the trees around noon today at lower and mid elevations.
Comments
The clouds hung around most of the morning and early afternoon with some brief periods of blue sky and the northwest wind kept the snow slightly cool, but things quickly turned damp around mid morning. Around three inches at 9,500' with some graupel mixed in which made for decent conditions on a mostly supportable melt freeze crust.
This small wet slide on a west aspect at roughly 9,600' maybe happened this weekend with the warm temperatures. It looked as though a small roller ball from the rocks above got going and created a slough that entrained a decent amount of really wet and unconsolidated snow.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates