US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

 Introduction:  Good morning, this is Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory.  Today is Thursday, April 6th at 930 a.m. This advisory will expire in 24 hours. 

 

CHECK OUT OUR NEW GROOMING EQUIPMENT! 

 

To see past advisories check out the ARCHIVE.  To see current conditions go to our WEATHER PAGE.  To see photos go to the AVIPHOTOS page.

OBSERVATIONS? Please give us your observations from the field HERE.  The more observations we get, the better this forecast can be. 

 

  

General Conditions:

Winter is still hanging on to the La Sal Mountains.  1.00” of H20 fell in the past 24 hours up at the Geyser Pass Trailhead.  It appears that it started as rain (temps were in the high 30’s) and then finally turned to snow late yesterday afternoon.  6” of snow has fallen since then.  Expect much more snow up higher where the temperatures stayed below freezing.  12” of new snow can be expected in Gold Basin.  The winds have been brutal up in the mountains in the past 24 hours.  Gusts up to 90 mph were recorded and some hourly averages were in the mid thirties.  Which means read on to the avalanche conditions. 

     The road to Geyser Pass will be muddy down low and snow covered up high…4WD is recommended today.  Skate and Nordic skiing conditions will be “fresh”.  This weekend will be a great time to get out of Moab proper and enjoy some decent spring skiing! 

 

  Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’)

Today: Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high around 30. Breezy, with a west wind between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to between 10 and 15 mph. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Friday: Partly cloudy, with a high around 40. North wind between 10 and 15 mph becoming calm.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low near 29. South wind between 5 and 15 mph.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Weather Station/ Location

Snow Depth (HS):  in./cm

New Snow (HN) in./cm

6:00 a.m. Temp (F)

Current Observations:  Wind, 48 hour snow

Geyser Pass Trailhead (9,600’): (snotel link)

31.9” 

6”

22 @ 8:00

Powder!

Geyser Pass

~.

12+” 

N/a 

Powder

Gold Basin and South Mountain

~

12”

n/a

Great skiing conditions

Pre-Laurel Peak Station (11,705’)

N/a 

N/a 

10.6 degrees

Wind anemometer is broken

 

Avalanche Conditions: (Link to the International Avalanche Danger Scale here) –

 

With another 1.00” of H20 falling in the past 24 hours, the La Sal Mountains have received another critical value.  Strong winds from the South through Southwest for the past 24 hours have transported available new snow onto North and Northeast aspects.  The winds have probably cross-loaded some slopes as well.  This event could have created sensitive soft slabs on these leeward slopes and ridges.  In the lower elevations, rain has added weight to the snow but no strength.  The snow line will be around 9,000’.  With winds forecasted to blow in from the west today then veering to the Northwest, sensitive wind slabs could be found anywhere.  Tomorrow will be a good day to go out and observe this current event, Saturdays forecast should have more information.  The BOTTOM LINE for today is an avalanche danger of CONSIDERABLE at all aspects and elevations.