Ad
The National Forest Service Logo
icon-add Observation
Forecasts
Logan Ogden Salt Lake Provo Uintas Skyline Moab Abajos Weather Archives How to read the forecast
Observations & Avalanches
Submit Observation Observations Explorer All Observations Avalanches Fatalities Weather Place Names Map Archives
Education
Avalanche Class List UAC Class List Online Classes Resources and Tutorials Avalanche Awareness Develop Skills
Events
Store
About
Contact Who we are Core Values Staff Board of Directors Past Forecasters Sponsors Annual Reports Sign In
Blog
icon-add Observation
Donate / Join

Observation Date
12/19/2021
Observer Name
Ted Scroggin
Region
Uintas » Whitney Basin-Double Hill
Location Name or Route
Whitney Basin-Double Hill
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Light
Weather Comments
Inverted conditions this morning with quite cold single digit temperatures in town, while up on the forest it was a little warmer with mid teens slowly warming into the twenties. South winds were a little brisk early, but moderated as the day went on.
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Generally soft settled powder that rode quite well despite still thin snow cover. Stiff wind drifted snow along the windy ridge lines and the overall snow cover is looking beter.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Recent Avalanches
Wind Loading
Cracking
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
I did not experience any collapsing or cracking while I was moving around, but did observe some recent stress cracks on Double Hill. Looks like many slopes in the Whitney Basin went through a natural avalanche cycle and have started to fill back in from an increase in south winds. Red flag snowpack structure is the main concern with new snow and wind overloading buried weak sugary faceted snow.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
Lots of red flag clues out there with recent avalanches and a poor snowpack structure.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #2 Comments
There was an increase in winds from the south early in the day creating some shallow fresh wind drifts with lots of soft snow around to drift.
Snow Profile
Comments
Heavy snow and wind this week have overloaded the weak snow pack as these stress cracks on Double Hill show.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates