Observation Date
1/23/2021
Observer Name
T. Matthews M. Sevenoff
Region
Moab
Location Name or Route
Pre Laurel Highway, Prelude, Julie's, Lower N. Woods.
Weather
Sky
Broken
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Broken skies with moderate winds out of the SSW gusting into the strong range, and single digit temps above tree line made today feel like a real winters day in the mountains. On and off blowing snow loading lee aspects with very light S-1 snowfall at times.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
5"
New Snow Density
Medium
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Faceted Loose
Snow Characteristics Comments
Cleared the storm board in Gold Basin at 1315 hours with 5" of snow on it. The Geyser TH looked to have about 3" max. The new snow was not bonding well to the surface facets it fell on and was sliding off pretty easily while walking along road cuts. In most areas facing N-E the entire snowpack is loose and faceted to the ground. If you stopped moving while breaking trail you'd start to sink in deeper. Boot pen was to the ground in these areas.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Cracking
Collapsing
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
Observed wind loading, cracking and collapsing, but never got enough visibility to see into the big alpine terrain that was getting heavily wind loaded. The new snow didn't load the poor snowpack structure enough to produce natural storm slab avalanches, but would sheer off pretty easily when teased on short steep road cuts. The real concern is that there is now new snow available for transport and was blowing and loading the north half of the compass. Exactly where the persistent weak layers are.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
The entire north half of the compass has old rotten faceted snow that has now had just a little new weight added to it. Not enough of a new load to tip the scales. The exception is anywhere the wind has loaded the new snow into a deeper and more cohesive slab. This is where you will likely find an avalanche that could be large enough to bury, injure, or kill a person.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Problem #2 Comments
A bit of new snow and winds strong enough to move it around goes a long way. Wind Slabs were being formed out there today in terrain near and above treeline. Wind Slabs will usually relax and become more stubborn and harder to trigger after a couple of days without any new loading events. The problem we are faced with is these slabs are blowing and forming over a persistent weak layer and will not heal fast, and we will still be able trigger these slabs for a long time coming.
Comments
Photo 1: Shooting cracks out in front of my turns within the storm snow in Julie's glades.
Photo 2: Shooting cracks along Gold Basin RD. This spot prior to the storm was very shallow and was loaded up from the wind.
Photo 3: Very small slab failure along Gold Basin RD. This spot also, was very shallow prior to this storm and had been loaded up.
Photo's 4 and 5 are of the lower reaches of the North Woods. Lots of snow still needed to be able to ski this terrain fast and not be afraid of Punji Pits.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates
