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Observation: Uintas

Observation Date
2/23/2022
Observer Name
Craig Gordon
Region
Uintas
Location Name or Route
Upper Weber Canyon/Chalk Creek
Weather
Sky
Overcast
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southeast
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Remarkably light winds for the eastern front
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
Low density snow has little water content, but makes for a good reset
Red Flags
Red Flags
Poor Snowpack Structure
Red Flags Comments
NSF on wind sheltered slopes is the main concern, but it doesn't feel like we've reached a tipping point threshold. Chances are, it comes to life with a little warming and a bit of settlement this weekend
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Decreasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
Shallow drifts in the wind zone are the main avy concern at the moment
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Problem #2 Comments
Trickier, not healing anytime soon, and now buried under new storm snow, NSF is something to keep an eye on.
Comments
Clouds parted long enough for me to capture this image of an Everest-esque looking Reids Peak staring back at me.
Spent the past couple days stomping around Upper Weber/Chalk Creek in an attempt to get a 30,000' view of weak layer distribution. Even though old snow surfaces vary greatly it's really the same story snowpack-wise. The weakest snow I've found is on east, north, and northeast aspects, especially on mid and upper elevation wind sheltered slopes. Here's where it gets tricky... large swaths of upper elevation terrain facing the north half of the compass were blasted by the winds prior to our recent storms and weak snow distribution is spotty at best. The rubber hits the road mid slope where I'm finding bottomless NSF. Moving forward and into the weekend... once we see some settling and slab formation we're gonna see touchy avy conditions.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Moderate
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low