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Observation: USA Bowl

Observation Date
4/2/2013
Observer Name
Greg Gagne
Region
Salt Lake
Location Name or Route
USA Bowl/PC Ridgeline
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Wind Direction
North
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Very poor, vertigo-inducing visibility. -2C. Some Moderate winds out of the N/NW along ridgetops.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
14"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Some wind-drifted snow along ridgetops on SW through/SE aspects. Snow densities quite elevation-dependent with damp snow < 9000' and moderately-dense snow above. New snow was well-bonded to the old snow surface, but I was finding two density inversions in the storm snow. Old snow surface had refrozen, but it was very easy to dig your hand down to the wet grains below the old snow surface.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Cracking
Red Flags Comments
Quite a bit of cracking in the new snow earlier in the morning, although alot less sensitve skiing out 3 hours later.
Comments

Nice to see actual snow totals twice as much as the forecasted high end. We were skiing low-angled terrain, but overall hazard seemed Moderate with only the following two issues issues I was finding this morning being:

  1. Cracking in the storm snow with failures occurring in two different density inversions. However, the cracks weren't propagating very far (~50 cms/~2') and the snow was less sensitive by the time we were skiing out at noon.
  2. Some wind-drifting along BCC/PC ridgelines from winds out of the North. Some of these drifts were up to 60 cms (2'), but they were not overly sensitive to ski cuts.

It is quite possible these issues were more problematic in steeper terrain. Sun had not come out when were exiting by late morning, but clearly the new snow will be sensitive to any period of sun or greenhousing.

Although there were a few density inversions, the new snow was dense enough so that if your surfed along the surface, it offered excellent April powder ski conditions.