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Observation: Main Porter

Observation Date
2/27/2024
Observer Name
Hardesty, Gagne, and Johnston
Region
Salt Lake » Mill Creek Canyon » Porter Fork » Main Porter
Location Name or Route
Main Porter
Weather
Sky
Obscured
Precipitation
Light Snowfall
Wind Direction
Northwest
Wind Speed
Moderate
Weather Comments
Cold. We noted 5°F in the higher elevations. Winds from the west northwest blew moderate with significant plumes and transport. We found drifts across the road in Mill Creek Canyon and a tree branch hanging from power lines above the Porter Fork Road.
Snow Characteristics
New Snow Depth
6"
New Snow Density
High
Snow Surface Conditions
Powder
Snow Characteristics Comments
4-8" of high density snow laden with graupel.
Red Flags
Red Flags
Wind Loading
Red Flags Comments
Significant wind transport of the new snow.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Wind Drifted Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #1 Comments
All that said, we were in a fairly wind-sheltered piece of terrain and we didn't find any soft or hard slabs of wind blown snow on north or south aspects. Our suspicion was that this was not representative of most terrain.
Avalanche Problem #2
Problem
New Snow
Trend
Same
Problem #2 Comments
The higher density snow did not sluff on steep test slopes.
Comments
Southerly and southeasterly aspects held a protective 2" thick melt freeze crust that has effectively capped the Valentine's facet/crust RR problems in many areas on solar aspects. On northerly aspects, a small facet/graupel layering was found perhaps 30cm down and was not reactive in tests. Perhaps it would have been with enough wind loading in exposed terrain.
Photos:
Wind and effect of the wind
We noted on very small natural 2" thick and 40' wide soft slab in very steep northerly terrain in Main Porter.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
None
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
None
Coordinates