Observation: Weber Canyon

Observation Date
1/7/2016
Observer Name
jg
Region
Uintas » Upper Weber Canyon » Weber Canyon
Location Name or Route
Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
West
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Mostly cloudly in the morning with very brief periods of blue sky but the afternoon brought overcast skies and light to moderate snowfall without very much wind. Periods of S-2 (1"/hr.) snowfall rates from early afternoon until early evening when we left. Winds were calm fron the NW. Temps were in the mid twenties at 9K and mid teens at 10K.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

2"-8" new snow depending on altitude. Snow was lighter density above 9K and sluffing easily on steeper slopes.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Poor Snowpack Structure
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Comments

No photos or pit data today. Traveled the north half of the compass and skied east and northeast facing slopes

Afternoon snow and rates of snow were not expected. We were getting long running sluffs on steep slopes with the new snow running on the old faceted snow surface. Up high in the starting zones I was finding stubborn 1"-4" pencil hard wind slabs buried under the new snow from this week . The slabs were sitting on small grain facets. Overall, the snowpack was pretty solid where we traveled other than surface instabilities.

Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Moderate