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 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, November 26th, 2005 at 7:00 am.

Current Conditions:

Up to this weekend, there hasn’t been much snow flying around the Skyline. Better now than never! A HEAVY SNOW WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM MST SUNDAY for the Manti-Skyline. Snow will accumulate on the Manti-Skyline with an accumulation of 10-20 inches expected by Sunday Morning. This storm will definitely give the region a needed boost in the snow depths. With this snow, the chances of AVALANCHES are going to increase, so read on to the Avalanche Conditions below.

Mammoth/Cottonwood SNOTEL: 2” of snow on the ground.

Seeley Creek SNOTEL: There is 3” of snow on the ground.

Mountain Weather:

Saturday...Windy...Snow. Much colder. Accumulation 3-6 inches. Highs at 8000 feet around 30. West winds 20-30 mph.

Saturday Night...Windy. Snow showers. Much colder. Accumulation 2-6 inches. Lows at 8000 feet 5 to 10 above. West winds 20-30 mph.

Sunday...Windy. Snow showers likely. Accumulations possible. Highs at 8000 feet in the lower 20s. Northwest winds 20-30 mph. Chance of snow 70 percent.

Avalanche Conditions:

The difference between 8,000’ and 10,000’ before this storm is quite vast. Below 8,000’ there was no snow while up at 10,000’ there was 10-18” of snow on North facing leeward slopes. On Southerly aspects, there was little to no snow. The snow pack on these North-faces were early-season layer cake of melt-freeze crusts and graupel layers. With winds during this storm coming mostly from the West, North through East aspects will have the best chance of cornice development and slab development from the wind loading. As more snow falls and the wind increases, these wind-loaded slopes will have the best chance of natural and human triggered avalanches.

The Bottom Line for today is: Be careful. Early season conditions are tricky and everyone enjoying the Skyline should be very cautious. There are there many rocks, fences and stumps hiding just below the snow surface that can ruin your day just as much as an avalanche. Ensure you bring your avalanche beacons with you and PRACTICE! Lets get the rust off and approach the snow season slowly this year.

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