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Observation: Cardiff Peak

Observation Date
4/13/2018
Observer Name
Sean Burkhart
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Cardiff Peak
Location Name or Route
Cardiff Peak
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Obscured skies with light snowfall this morning, with a few waves of moderate snowfall. Light NW winds with moderate gusts moving snow relatively rapidly.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
22"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Classic Utah blower. Cardiff Peak weather station reading 9 degrees F this morning. Felt right side up in most places.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Lots of new snow with NW winds actively transporting snow very easily. The new storm snow sloughs running like water as you would expect with new low density snow, but other then that, no major red flags.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Winds moving snow rapidly especially on the ridge lines. Small cornices breaking off naturally. SE to NE aspects likely wind loaded in many locations. With cold temps at upper elevations with about 2ft. of new low density storm snow, I'd expect the danger for triggering a wind slab to be increasing throughout the next day or two.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
Snow felt generally right side up but I did get some cracking on a much steeper pocket of snow going up the ridge from Cardiff Pass to the peak. Small test slope but I could see a larger steeper slope more towards 40 degrees being able to produce a storm slab that could be dangerous.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable