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Observation: Cardiff Pass

Observation Date
4/9/2017
Observer Name
Tyler Falk
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Pass
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Pass/ Toledo
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Cold with S1/ S2 snowfall rates at times this morning. Heard reports of very high PI rates around 4am with over 2" a hour. Winds seamed to be variable out there this morning with some stations reporting gusts in the low 40's and others with calm readings. Low temps at 8k were in the upper teens early this morning and 10k temps in single digits early. Alta high temps toped out at 31 degrees this afternoon with 6k temps reaching 37 degrees, Sky cover this morning was mostly obscured.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2'
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments

Reported numbers at Alta were 24" new that settled down to around 17". Around 2.21" of H2o which made for 9.2% density. South had a thick crust that you could occasionally feel on steeper slopes. On aspects other than south not much of a bottom was felt. Sunny aspects 8k and below got cooked.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Rapid Warming
Red Flags Comments
A few red flags out there today. New weight on the pack of 2.21" of H2o was my main concern. Winds transported some snow on 10k ridgelines onto SE aspects from fetch zones on NE aspects. Small SS~AS~U~R1~D1 triggered on south aspect at 9500' breaking trail up to the pass.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wet Snow
Problem #1 Comments

For tomorrow wet activity would be my number one concern tomorrow with high temps at Alta in the low 40's.

Comments

Pic. 1. Small windslab on south facing cardif pass.

Pic 2. Activity from a point release which spread out and triggered a shallow density change within the storm snow.

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