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Observation: Whitney Basin

Observation Date
1/25/2013
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Low clouds, fairly mild temperatures and light winds. One of those gray uneventful days in the Uintas.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
1"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
You might find an inch or two of new snow, but that was all I could locate in my travels. We are in need of some snow to freshen things up, today's flat light and frozen hard tracks made for some rough riding and turning. At lower elevations there are even patches of pavement showing on the highway.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
No real red flags today, there was some minor wind drifting on the higher ridgelines. Yesterdays stronger winds have formed some drifts on the north through northeast facing slopes, but these seemed pretty relaxed. A rain/rime crust did develop in the higher terrain and it appears to be mainly on south facing slopes. Maybe just something to keep an eye on.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Some minimal wind drifting today along the higher ridgelines. Stronger winds yesterday moved snow around onto the northerly aspects, but nothing seemed too sensitive. In the more wind exposed terrain I would imagine a few deeper and sensitive wind slabs could be triggered by the weight of a person.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Snow pit stability tests seemed to indicate a moderate hazard for the mid and upper elevations. Plenty of weak snow can be found digging around, but no real slab and the snowpack seems to be content for the time being. Forecasted storms might change the hazard and will need to watch the winds and snow totals.
Comments
This large natural cornice fall was a good slope tester. It looks like some weak surface snow was involved, but not much else.