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Observation: Broads Fork

Observation Date
2/19/2016
Observer Name
Hardesty, Wilson, Keeling, Simper
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Broads Fork
Location Name or Route
Broads Fork
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Moderate to strong; winds getting down into the mid-elevations though no wind slabs noted thicker than 4".
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
3"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Rain-Rime Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

2" of new medium density sits above 1cm graupel pellets above a 2" thick hard wind crust (pre-frontal) above the pre-storm near-surface squares.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Noted 4 new size 1&2 natural wind slab releases likely during frontal passage yesterday. Each up high in north to east facing terrain perhaps 12-24" deep. No cracking or collapsing today. New glide avalanche noted and submitted by Muller/Pugliese party....Plenty of wind...but not noting a lot of new wind slabs...wind died off by 330pm..."Poor structure" actually fair - noted in video below.
Comments

1st video -Note free air winds channeled by terrain and blowing back up slope t 9800' north facing below Dromedary.

2nd video - composite

Pics:

  1. Thursday's wind event
  2. natural wind slabs from Thursday
  3. PST 50/100 x2 down 60cm onto faceted snow 30cm up from ground. NNW 9800'
  4. High above Blue Ice - you can see the slightest glide crack up high and more prominent buckled stauchwall below.
  5. Cool alto-cumulus I believe
Video
Video
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate