UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!
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Observation: UFO Bowls

Observation Date
1/24/2018
Observer Name
Hardesty
Region
Provo » Provo Canyon » North Fork Provo R. » UFO Bowls
Location Name or Route
UFO Bowls and Timp Divide
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Southwesterlies picked up around noon with spindrift down the cliffbands of Primrose Cirque and plumes noted at the 10,500' and higher ridgelines. Some transport in the mid elevations but no wind slab development noted.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Faceted Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

6" settled snow from the weekend storm, capped by 3mm SH. Excellent skiing conditions. Damp on southerly aspects. Would expect the SH to degrade with sun, wind, warmth. Snowpack did not look as bad as expected - though I likely expected the worst. HS~60 and 75cm at 8240' and 8900', respectively.

Jan 8/9 rain crust up to 8500'; lower elevation snowpack looked worse than upper one; however my sense is that other profiles elsewhere in Provo would show poor structure.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Structure did not look as bad as I expected. Wind loading noted up high.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #1 Comments

Despite southerly aspects being cooked, the southwest winds found enough dry snow for wind slab development in the high terrain.

Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments

Slab seemed deteriorated and relaxed but possible in isolated terrain. See profiles below. This, however, the culprit in size 3 natural avalanches from the Jan 8-10 cycle in the two southern-most UFO bowls. Didn't appear that the main bowl had avalanched.

Photos:

Note orange sign - "Caution - low tide"

Good skiing in UFO bowl that had naturalled a couple weeks ago.

Squint to see drifting along high ridgelines.

Danger possibly areas of Considerable with wind drifting for Thursday?

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