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Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon on
Wednesday morning, October 27, 2021
Special Announcements
Make sure to set some time aside on Nov. 9, 10, and 11 from 6:00-9:00 to join us for the 14th annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop (USAW).
Tuesday Nov. 9th 6:00-9:00 PM
Evaluating snow structure while integrating both new and old technologies to determine avalanche hazards. Register HERE
Wednesday Nov. 10th 6:00- 9:00 PM
Bridge, bombs, and blower: The snowpack and weather factors that led to underwhelming snowfall, yet devastating avalanche conditions during the 2020-2021 season. Register HERE
Thursday Nov. 11th 6:00- 9:00 PM
Decision-making and human interaction with a deceptively tricky snowpack. Register HERE
Weather and Snow
A solid shot of moisture slid through the region Sunday night, delivering 6" of heavy snow at the trailheads and about 10" in the high country. Temperatures cooled into the teens along the high ridges and westerly winds blow in the 30's. It's really lean out there and settled snow depths hover right around a foot.
Above is a 24 hour data dump from Windy Peak, elevation 10,662'
Looking for real-time temps, snow, or wind?
Click HERE and then on the "western Uinta" tab for western Uinta specific, weather station network.
As the seasons change, we're interested in what you're seeing. Go here to fill out an observation.
Recent Avalanches
On Sunday, a climber descending the saddle between Reid's Peak and Bald Mountain was caught and carried by fresh wind drift he and his group triggered. Fortunately, everyone is ok! More details found here.
Observations, trip reports, and avalanches found here.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
The evolution of our recent storm is clearly evidenced above by the 24 hour data dump from Windy Peak (10,662')
First blowing out of the south, then turning westerly, winds have been all over the map. So... with a foot of storm snow to work with, that means fresh wind drifts formed on nearly every aspect. The good news is, fresh drifts are easy to detect by their fat, round appearance and they're limited to the leeward side of upper elevation ridgelines. The bad news... this is exactly the type of terrain that holds the most snow and where we'll most like be drawn to. I think about early season roadside attractions like Murdock Bowl off the Mirror Lake Highway or Wolf Creek Bowl near highway 35 and Wolf Creek Pass. Easy grabs... right? Even though it might not seem like there's enough snow to avalanche, today you'll want to avoid any steep, wind drifted slope. Remember- even a small wind drift packs enough punch to knock you off your feet and may result in a season ending injury if you slam into a stump, rock, or deadfall barely hidden under the shallow snow.
Additional Information
As the seasons shift we will see you back here more frequently
Your observations are important, so please let me know what you're seeing... click HERE and contribute to this amazing community based program
General Announcements
I will update this forecast as conditions change and then once winter kicks you can expect the usual daily forecasts issued by 07:00... or perhaps earlier :)
Before it gets too crazy, now is the time to book an avalanche awareness presentation for your group, club, or posse. You can reach me directly at 801-231-2170 or [email protected]
This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.