Greatest Rain on Earth?!?: Forecaster Drew Hardesty penned a new essay about high-elevation rain and the warm-snow drought HERE.
Weak Snow: Today's Surface, Tomorrow's Avalanche Problem: Essay by UAC Director Paige Pagnucco HERE.
Yesterday, favored areas of the Central Wasatch saw around 1 inch of new snow, with mountain temperatures in the 20s F. Winds blew from the west in the teens to 20s mph, with gusts into the 40s mph transporting snow.
Today, a landfalling atmospheric makes its way into Northern Utah. Expect cloudy skies, light to moderate winds out of the SSW, mountain temps in the 20s F, and our long-awaited snowfall. Freezing levels will be around 7k feet. While the bulk of the precip from this first pulse will arrive late tonight into tomorrow, we can expect the following by 5pm today:
- Favored areas (Upper LCC, BCC): 1-3 inches of snow // 0.1-0.3 inches H2O
- Less-favored areas (PC Ridgeline): 1-2 inches of snow // 0.1-0.2 inches H2O
Tonight into tomorrow, precipitation rates and wind pick up as the system arrives in full force. Expect another 2-3 inches in favored areas by 5am, with tomorrow potentially producing the most snowfall we've seen in a day this year. Check back then for more details.
Pattern shifts as mindset shifts: We have largely been in an open season mindset for much of January into February. Our last large storm ended on 1/9, leaving us with far-flung travel, and a mostly LOW avalanche danger. While the danger remains at LOW as we start the day, as snow starts to stack up modestly, I'm using the moment for an intentional pause to shift my mindset. There are two things certain this week: more snow (of some amount) and increased avalanche activity (of some amount as well). We will not be getting one without the other with the current weak snowpack structure. Reining in my status quo notions of where and how to travel is at the forefront of my mind, as is dialing back terrain choices as more snow falls later this week into the weekend. (Roger Atkins has some more for you to chew on HERE).
No avalanche activity was reported yesterday.
Forecaster Nikki Champion was in the Brighton backcountry yesterday, seeing how initial snowfall was coming in. You can view all recent observations here.
