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Observation: Brighton Perimeter

Observation Date
3/7/2019
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter
Location Name or Route
Brighton Perimeter
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Mostly cloudy and overcast throughout the day with brief periods of broken. These breaks in the clouds allowed the solar and ambient warmth to crust the SE and S aspects as well as promote Greenhousing in various locations around the Brighton Perimeter. Temperatures remain spring like and warm with mid 30's at 8500. Light to moderate snowfall throughout the day with accumulations of up to 2 inches for the day above 9000. Winds remained light except on the exposed ridge lines and peaks with moderate speeds in these upper elevation locations. Transport light in areas observed.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
The riding today was much improved from Wednesday with ski penetration only 10 to 15 cm. The carving was "buttery" and very consistent on almost all slopes ridden before the solar and warmth impacted the snow surface. Wind damage only limited to the most exposed areas.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Rapid Warming
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Poor snowpack structure continues to be confined to the inverted nature of the new snow since Tuesday night. 4 finger dense Storm Slabs are resting on lighter density pre-storm surfaces. Graupel layers within the new snow and at the old snow interface continue to provide easy shears. Hasty pits yielding shears still at 35 to 45 cm down in density changes within the upper layers. See avalanche report from Needles Chute. The warming may actually be helping in the long run to settle out these sensitive density changes in the upper layers, but at this point they appear to continue to help promote wet loose in the lower mid elevations as well as the low elevations.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Storm Slab inversions as discussed above combining with a contributing factor of Wind Loading appear to be the number one concern. Of note, these slabs appear to be mostly stubborn and unreactive on slopes with angles less than 40 degrees.
Thursday nights forecast for minimal snow may not be enough to tip the scales and help activate the above referenced density inverted layers. But, if the forecast for Friday validates the additional loading from new snow and wind may be a game changer.
Danger today appeared to be Moderate with isolated pockets of sensitive storm/wind slabs.
Considerable may be appropriate for Friday as the new loading occurs.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Cornice
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
Cornices continue to grow and be suspect, and with the new loading and forecast for continuing moderate to strong SW winds this problem will increase.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable