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Observation: Rocky Point

Observation Date
12/11/2022
Observer Name
Kelly
Region
Salt Lake » Big Cottonwood Canyon » Rocky Point
Location Name or Route
Rocky-Grizzly
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Southwest
Wind Speed
Strong
Weather Comments
Overcast skies with strong primarily westerly winds at the ridgetops. Some zones were wrapping around and blowing strong from the east and southeast.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
2"
New Snow Density
Low
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Wind Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
Mixed bag of skiing, some breakable wind crust, some low angle powder skiing in protected areas.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Wind loading primarily onto northerly facing slopes. Some wind swirling around Sunset peak with strong southerlies loading westerly slopes. The ridgetops had stiff wind pillows on all aspects. I didn't get any of the stiffer wind slabs to break (from the prior 48 hours of strong winds with no new precipitation) and was seeing cracking isolated to small soft wind drifts. Many of the leeward (wind blown) aspects were scoured back to rocks, wildflowers, or a melt freeze crust.
Comments
Westerly winds loading into Wolverine Cirque.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Considerable
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Considerable
Coordinates