Observation: Monitors

Observation Date
3/15/2020
Observer Name
mark white
Region
Salt Lake » Park City Ridgeline » Monitors
Location Name or Route
Monitors
Weather
Sky
Broken
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Moderate winds from the SW on the ridge line, broken skies and warm out of the wind.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
3"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Dense Loose
Wind Crust
Melt-Freeze Crust
Damp
Snow Characteristics Comments
There was maybe 3 inches of new snow from yesterday which might be a little generous, a mixture of graupel and dense snow. The snow was still dry on the N facing with either a melt-freeze crust or damp on the S facing depending on time of day.
Comments
Went to the Monitors expecting a little more snow from the SW flow from yesterday's impulse, but only noted a few inches of new. The strong winds from the last couple days have smoothed out the slopes with dry snow and provided not bad skiing. The S facing was frozen until the sun broke out for real around 1:30 pm then it soften quickly and provided some corn like supportable conditions in the afternoon. The high ridge lines have been scoured by the SW winds and the steep N facing had small and isolated windslabs right off the top but pretty minor. Wet activity seemed to be mostly kept in check by the wind keeping the surface cool.
photo of wind scouring on the high ridge line
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low