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Observation Date
12/24/2012
Observer Name
Greg Gagne
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
Millcreek - Porter Fork
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Full on winter conditions by early afternoon. At least S5 snowfall (about 2" per hour) during frontal passage around 1 pm. At one point, skin track had filled in 5-10 cms between runs. Winds also picked up around that time as well, although we were not finding fresh wind deposits.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
12"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Dense warm snow at lower elevations (6000'-7000'). Mid elevations had about 20 cms of rimed stellars that were being capped by low-density snow when we were exiting at 3 pm. About 1 meter of snow at 9000'.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Comments

Left Porter Fork trailhead at 11 am and returned at 3 pm, so perfect timing for the storm's arrival. About 5-10 cms of dense snow at trailhead and it was bonding well to old snow surface. By frontal passage in the early afternoon was getting cracking in the new snow, as well as poor bonding to the old snow surface > 8000'. New snow was becoming sensitive during periods of very high PI rates and it was easy to get 30 cm (12") new snow soft slabs to crack at the interface with the old snow surface. No collapsing, although buried facet/crust combos are now found about 60 cms (2') down from the snow surface. Overall I do not think there was enough new snow/water weight to suddenly affect the midpack weaknesses that are being found outside of the upper Cottonwoods, and it is likely storm snow instabilities will have likely settled out by Christmas Day. My hunch is a very nice Christmas morning present for powder skiers.