Yesterday, ski areas at the top of the Cottonwood Canyons broke the 800" mark and many ski area and mountain operations reported record breaking March snow totals.
This morning under partly cloudy skies, trailhead temperatures are in the mid 20's ˚F and ridgetop temperatures are in the mid-teens ˚F. Winds are blowing west-southwest in the teen's gusting to the 20's MPH at the 9,000' ridgelines and southwest in the 30's gusting to the 50's at the 11,000' ridgelines. Some mountain locations reported a trace to an inch of additional snow overnight.
For today, skies will be clear with clouds building later this afternoon. Temperatures will be spring like rising to 36-40˚F, and winds will gradually increase from a southwest direction 25 gusting to 35 at the 9,000' ridgelines and 35 gusting to 65 MPH at the 11,000' ridgelines. No precipitation is expected today.
- Upper Cottonwoods 33-47" snow/1.92-2.73" water with snow depths from 109-229"
- Park City Ridgeline 24-27" snow/1.75-2.1" water with snow depths from 113-131"
- Ogden Area Mountains 26-38" snow/ 2.9-3.8" water with snow depths from 137-222"
- Provo Area Mountains 18-19.5" snow/ 1.25-1.5" water with snow depths from 101-168"
The National Weather Service has issued a
Winter Storm Watch from Sunday April 2- Tuesday April 4th with another 20 to 30" of snow with locally higher amounts up to 4' in the Cottonwoods and Davis County mountains.
Yesterday backcountry riders and mountain operations reported sensitive avalanche conditions. There were delays and closures due to
avalanches on highways throughout the Wasatch including low elevation roads affected in the
Ogden Area Mountains.
A natural avalanche in
West Porter got my attention because of how much exposure there is to overhead avalanche terrain in Porter Fork. Other avalanches were observed or initiated in
Bear Trap,
Mill-D, and
Short Swing.
Photo of avalanche debris in
West Porter (Photo Blanchard)
Check out all observations
HERE.
