Observation: Cardiff Fork

Observation Date
3/19/2018
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Fork
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Fork
Weather
Sky
Few
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Blue bird in the AM with increasing clouds in the afternoon, no wind and full sun lead to warm temperatures.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
14"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments

After a cold clear night the new snow from this weekend had dried out and with the last 6 or 7 inches of snow being super low density and non wind effected lead to Wasatch blower conditions in the AM not so much after the sun kissed it in the afternoon. The new light density snow quickly became damp on S,E,W and on all aspects at lower elevations and will be crusted in the AM. High N might be the only ticket tomorrow.

Red Flags
Red Flags
Rapid Warming
Comments

The terrain covered today was LSB, NE facing, Hansen's, and Cardiac Ridge, the only activity noted in the Cardiac area was confined to storm snow only, there were a couple shallow soft slabs on Cardiac Ridge that were fairly fresh, and some other older storm snow slides in Cardiac Bowl. The main activity today was heat related, roller-balls and wet sluffs were noted in SE facing Cardiac Bowl and Hansen's and wet activity on the SE facing of Cardiac ridge over ran the skin trail that was put in early this morning. Sluffs were not running as fast or as far as yesterday and pretty much became extinct by mid-day. I was expecting to see more consequential wet activity but the clouds in the PM might have helped in keeping things from falling apart. I was not on or around any direct S facing when things started to heat up so I'm not sure what happened on the bigger solar slopes. The light density got damp quick and left us with mounds of snow stuck to the petex on the bottoms of our skis on our exit out BCC, might wanna wax.

Photos: Minor sluffing on steep E facing, wet activity in the terrain covered.

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