Currently:
Temperatures are starting out a few degrees warmer this morning than yesterday, with low elevation trailheads sitting just below freezing. Mid and upper elevations range throughout the 20’s F.
Strong south/southwest winds remain the dominant weather player. Wind speeds at the mid and upper elevations are averaging in the 20’s and 30’s mph, with gusts in the 50’s above 10,000’.
Snow totals in the Salt Lake mountains from Monday vary widely, ranging from 1-6”, but with the strong winds most of this new snow ended up quickly getting transported into fresh wind-drifts. Many exposed aspects facing southwest at the upper elevations have been scoured from the sustained southwesterly winds.
For Today: Temperatures will be warm - into the upper 30’s - and moderate to strong winds out of the west/southwest, averaging in the 20’s and 30’s mph at the mid and upper elevations, with gusts in the 40’s and 50’s. Occasional snow showers may leave an inch or two during the day. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy.
For This Week: A mild westerly flow with warm temperatures and windy conditions. We may pick up a trace to 1" of new snow every occasional 12-hour period - perhaps up to 2" on Wednesday. A hint of a promising colder storm late Thursday/Friday, but waiting for weather models to come into agreement before we get any confidence in that system.
Winds and warm temperatures have certainly deteriorated ski quality conditions, but there were reports of continued good skiing in wind-sheltered terrain in the mid elevations.
There were reports of a few skier-triggered wind slabs in the Salt Lake mountains yesterday. These were generally on easterly aspects that were wind-loaded from the south/southwest winds. Most of the activity was shallow (< 6"), but Craig Gordon was in the Brighton backcountry and managed to intentionally trigger a fresh wind drift that was 14" thick and 100' wide (
observation) [photo Craig Gordon]
We also received reports of minor wet loose activity in the lower elevations as well as damp southerly aspects.
