Planned Website Outage: The UAC website will be down for maintenance on June 17 from 2:00 - 7:00 PM MT.
Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation: Powder Mountain

Observation Date
12/22/2017
Observer Name
Jamie Bernstein
Region
Ogden » Powder Mountain
Location Name or Route
Powder Mountain
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Over the course of an hour (1200 to 1300) the cloud cover grew from 20% to 60% with low, dark clouds rolling in from the south. Also in that hour, the wind shifted from the west to the south, and the scoured northerly slopes finally started to load from the wind. These are the slopes with the concerning glacial crust covered in a layer of facets.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments

Settlement cones are present in all sheltered locations as yesterday's 8" of 3-4% blower has settled into about 6". Sheltered, low angle, grassy, north facing slopes offer great riding, but anything near the ridgeline has gotten hammered by the wind. Height of snow varied from 50-70cm across the terrain we traveled from 8000 to 8800 feet.

I don't expect to see any real avalanche hazard in the Powder Mountain area until the northerlies are loaded by this next storm and accompanying wind. The facet capped crust will make a slick bed surface when we see a cohesive slab on top.

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