Observation Date
1/8/2021
Observer Name
MP
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Red Pine
Location Name or Route
Red Pine
Comments
HS 100cm
ECTP 23 down 70cm failing on ~2mm facets
Rightside up snowpack for the most part. P hardness on ECT failure layer just before faceted layer 30cm deep to ground.
notable is that temps are within healing gradient:
-9 C @ 100cm
-7
-7
-5
-5
-4
-4
-3
-3C @10 cm
0 0cm
snowpack should be deep enough to start the rounding process in areas that were protected from the last wind event and have decent HS depths. While this is slightly good news, the sheer amount of faceted layers will take time and more importantly weight to help stabilize snowpack. Areas with thinner snow ie east facing ridgelines in white pine and red pine will have significantly less depth and therefore higher temperature gradient.
[Forecaster Comment: It is certainly a good sign to see any evidence of rounding, but overall we have a weak snowpack and it will take a long time for these weaknesses to heal.]
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable