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Observation: Uintas

Observation Date
12/30/2018
Observer Name
Paradis / Brackelsberg
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Weber Canyon
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Heavy Snowfall
Wind Direction
South
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Day started out relatively calm and not snowing. Snow was a bit off and on for most of the day but increased in intensity later in the day as the front approached. Wind was very strong at times - so much so it made looking into the wind difficult.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Snow was relatively dense where exposed to the wind. There was also sort of a light rime or something that fell for a short period of time. This didn't really affect skiing but was noticeable.
Snow was also not very deep and it was common to scrape a few rocks during the descent. There were also occasional weak spots around rocks that would cause you to sink in a bit.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Wind was the most obvious red flag today. We were able to trigger a very small wind pocket in an area with thin snow and heavy loading. I didn't check poor snow pack structure because by Uinta or last year standards, the snow pack seemed reasonable. For example, we didn't find substantial depth hoar. See comments below re: the persistent weak layers.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Heavy snow plus lots of wind is a surefire recipie to create unstable wind slabs. Trend will increase this evening with continued snow, then decrease over time.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments
We observed a thin layer of facets about 30cms deep. This didn't produce dramatic clean shears or anything but still demands some caution, particularly during periods of loading from new snow. Sometimes these layers can be tricky to find in quick hand pits - we missed it initially.
There were also some facets right at the ground but there seemed to be less than normal and they also didn't produce dramtic results.
Snow Profile
Aspect
Northwest
Elevation
9,400'
Slope Angle
25°
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates