Planned Website Outage: The UAC website will be down for maintenance on June 17 from 2:00 - 7:00 PM MT.
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: American Fork

Observation Date
1/13/2017
Observer Name
Nason
Region
Provo » American Fork
Location Name or Route
AF canyon
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Thick cloud layer up high in the morning, which eased off through mid morning, overcast all day with a few sucker holes coming through in the afternoon around 1430 to 1600. Light snowfall around 1000 to 1230 observed rimed stellars.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
18"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
High quality skiing, more supportable powder than super low density blower. Observed a mostly right side up snowpack, 2 graupel layers 45cm down from surface and 90cm down. Also observed a rain crust about 115cm down. The graupel layers were what caught my attention and while I was able to see results on CTs I was not able to get any propogation with ECTs or PSTs. HS in wind sheltered non exposed terrain was 250cm, I dug to 125cm.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Heavy Snowfall
Red Flags Comments
Did not observe too many red flags on my day out. I saw some recent loose snow sluffing on S. Also we have had quite a bit of new snow fall lately. Nothing that rung the alarm for me.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Cornice
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
With plenty of snow available for transport, and the size/sensitivity of cornices I have observed lately, cornices are on my mind. Have seen quite a few very large, overhanging cornices on the E. half of the compass.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Lots of new snow out there, aside from the top 30 to 40cm.s it seems to be a pretty cohesive slave with midpack weak layers (graupel).
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
9,000'
Slope Angle
23°
Comments
I will be curious to see how the S. slopes do with the sun today.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate