Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Northern Bear River Range

Observation Date
4/8/2013
Observer Name
Tidhar
Region
SE Idaho » Northern Bear River Range
Location Name or Route
Northern Bear River Range
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Direction
East
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Winds variable and only strong along ridgetop.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Relatively light low density new snow atop an extremely supportable bonded base. There was a very apparent temperature gradient with new snow denser below ~8000 feet, with heavily saturated areas below trees.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Accumulating snow created soft slab conditions with potential for entrainment of skier. Cornices fairly sensitive for release. We dropped a small cornice on ~30 degree slope and triggered a soft slab which ran ~300 vertical feet.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Wind slab formation on leeward slopes. Because of variability in wind direction, predicting where wind slabs may have formed below ridges could become more difficult.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None