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Observation: Snake Creek

Observation Date
2/22/2023
Observer Name
B
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Brighton Perimeter » Snake Creek
Location Name or Route
Snake Creek
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Unseasonably cold temps with Gusty Variable Strong to Extreme Winds on the Upper Elevation Ridgelines. Winds on the BCC side of the Ridge were WNW, while there appeared to be wrap around NE Winds on the Wasatch County side. Visibility was poor and as a result unable to see any avalanche activity. HST appeared to be at least 45 cm on the Wasatch County side and likely closer to 60 cm but the winds made it challenging to get a good read. Another 7 cm falling during the daytime hours.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
1 finger plus wind slabs were widespread and touchy on the leeward aspects with long shooting and spider-webbing cracks easy to initiate. Significant wind damage was confined to the exposed W through N facing aspects near the ridgelines. Riding was excellent on bottomless powder on the southerlies. It appeared that the southerly aspects had received significant early storm wind settlement in the lower layers of the new snow, and this allowed for the moderate to low angle riding to be based up and acceptable despite the depth of this latest storm.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
It was likely that there was Natural Wind Slab activity today with the way it was easy to get cracking in the newly formed Wind Slabs.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
See above, and the winds do not appear to be dieing down at the Upper Elevations.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
In protected areas there reports of Long Running/Deep Loose Dry.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates