Observation Date
12/23/2024
Observer Name
Kelly, Brackelsberg, Talty, Morrison
Region
Salt Lake » Little Cottonwood Canyon » Atwater Study Plot
Location Name or Route
Atwater
Comments
Today, the goal was to dig near the Atwater Study Plot to see how the Snowpack Model matches a hand dug snow profile. The above snowpit (Snowpilot) is the hand dug profile, the gold and black profile below is the Snow Scope profile and the series of 5 profiles below that is the Snowpack Model. The hand dug profile most closely resembles the "Atwater Flat Profile". The Snowpack Model data is from Sunday December 22, 2023.
There are some discrepancies between the three profiles. The hand held profile identified 5 melt freeze crusts, the Snow Scope pit identified 6 melt freeze crusts ( the hardness at the ground was mostly likely the ground) and the Snowpack Model identified 4 crusts and a softer crust at the ground. The Snow Scope model more closely matches the hand harness' that I physically measured while the Snowpack Model was a hand hardness step greater than what I measured manually.
There are some discrepancies between the three profiles. The hand held profile identified 5 melt freeze crusts, the Snow Scope pit identified 6 melt freeze crusts ( the hardness at the ground was mostly likely the ground) and the Snowpack Model identified 4 crusts and a softer crust at the ground. The Snow Scope model more closely matches the hand harness' that I physically measured while the Snowpack Model was a hand hardness step greater than what I measured manually.
Photo of rounding facets located 4"-6" (9-17cm) from the ground.
Photo of the crew installing a new precipitation gauge. Check out all the weather data from Atwater HERE.
The UAC is implementing Snowpack Modeling across Utah. We are using manual snow profiles and data from the Snow Scope to validate and tune the Snowpack Model. This will improve the Model's accuracy and provide the forecast team with more information about regional snowpacks. Read more about the SLF Snowpack Model HERE. Thanks to UDOT, the UAC, and the University of Utah for their work on this project.
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates