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Observation: Dry Fork of AF

Observation Date
2/24/2019
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Alta Periphery » Dry Fork of AF
Location Name or Route
Dry Fork/Gargoyles
Weather
Sky
Scattered
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Early morning WNW high end light winds shifted and came out of the SW in the pm. Afternoon SW winds were moderate with moderate wind blown and or transport observed on the ridges. Temperatures were at least 10 degrees warmer today and for the first time in ten days the cold spell appeared to break. Skies were clear enough during daytime heating hours to allow for additional m/f crusts to form on SSE, S, and SW.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
The winds over the past 24 hours destroyed a significant amount of terrain in the exposed upper exposed elevations. East facing terrain appeared to survive the best with the NW and N aspects faring the worst. Southerly aspects now have crusts as described above. Still good settled powder that rides well in the sheltered terrain, and the east facing Dry Fork shots had dense settled carving.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
Multiple wind slab crust layers were observed in the upper elevation terrain of Dry Fork. Cross loading from the WNW and SW winds appeared to lay down these wind slab sandwiches. Cracking in these slabs were easily to initiate and the depths of these slabs were relatively shallow. The deepest slabs observed were 18 cm. Wind loading was at least moderate and dense slab development was occurring.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
See above for wind slab development. Wind Slabs were reactive and easy to initiate with slope cuts on very steep NE through SE aspects and terrain features. These winds are not forecast to decrease and subsequently they will continue to be an issue of concern.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Loose Dry and Loose Wet were active today. Steep shady terrain continue to have surface snow sluffing. Wet Loose appeared to be confined to the lower mid elevations as well as the low elevations, and these were of course occurring on the southerly aspects.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate
Coordinates