Human Factor Research: Researchers Ian McCammon and Sara Boilen are developing new tools for managing human factors for backcountry skiers and boarders. This survey asks about personal experiences with human factors and will take 7-8 minutes to complete. Link is HERE.

Skies are mostly cloudy-becoming-overcast. We're "warm before the storm" as temperatures are in the mid-to upper 30s at most locations, roughly 10-15 degrees warmer than this time yesterday. Winds are playing their role as well, blowing 20-30mph from the southwest. Along the most exposed ridgelines, anemometers hum at 35-40mph with gusts to 50.

The main headline for today will be the sharp cold front, set to arrive in the early afternoon. Accompanying moisture is limited, but we may squeeze 3-6" out of the system if we're lucky...and perhaps another inch or two from the much-diminished Great Salt Lake. We'll see. Temperatures plunge behind the front and we could well see 11,000' temps drop to 0°F by Friday morning - temperatures we haven't seen since February 19th(!)

Skies begin to clear by tomorrow and we'll have sunny skies and warming temperatures through the weekend into early next week. The models depict a cut-off Low pressure system diving south along the Pacific coast and then wandering inland mid to late next week, but it's a bit like spinning a quarter on the kitchen table - it's anyone's guess when and where it'll end up.

Skiing and riding conditions yesterday weren't half bad on the damp few inches of snow from Sunday night and were best on smooth, low angle aspects where the underlying crust had softened a touch. (I toured in the Dog Lake and Lake Catherine area of upper BCC yesterday and my report can be found HERE.) With the dramatic cold front, the riding conditions will lock-up and we'll be bottom-feeding on the rock-hard substrate on Friday. The term coral comes to mind. And that's where there is snow.