US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

 Introduction:  Good afternoon, this is Dave Medara with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory.  Today is Tuesday, Dec. 19th, at 5:00 PM. This advisory will expire in 24 hours.

 

CHECK OUT OUR NEW GROOMING EQUIPMENT HERE.

 

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.

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

 

We still have room in our AIARE level I avalanche class here in Moab scheduled for Jan 5th – 7th. Best deal in the USA! Call 435-636-3363 for more details.

 

  

General Conditions:

This storm has so far been a little late to arrive and a bit of a dud when it did. We have had only about 5 inches of new snow so far, compared to the 11 inches they’ve measured over in Telluride. We’ll take it though, and reports of good skiing and riding are coming in. This storm will put us at about 95% of normal on the year. This snow did fall with a lot of wind over night and early this morning bumping up the avalanche hazard a bit so read on for more.

 

The road to the Geyser Pass Trailhead was challenging today, so 4wd (and maybe chains!) are recommended for tomorrow.  Road not plowed as of 5 PM this afternoon.

 

No trail grooming until Friday. Sorry Skaters.

 

Mountain Weather: (At 10,500’) – SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6pm WED.
Tonight...Snow. Additional snow accumulation 2 to 4 inches. Lows 5 to 15. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday...Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of snow. Highs 25 to 35. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.
Wednesday Night...Partly cloudy. Lows 5 to 15. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph.
Thursday...Partly cloudy. Highs 25 to 35. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph in the morning becoming light.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Weather Station/ Location

Snow Depth (HS):  in./cm

New Snow (HN) in./cm

5:00 p.m. Temp (F)

Current Observations:  Wind, 48 hour snow

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

23.5”

5”

25.5

Need more!

Geyser Pass

31”

 

N/a 

Rotten, punchy snow

Gold Basin and South Mountain

31.5”

5.5”

n/a

POWDER over sugar

Pre-Laurel Peak Station (11,705’)

N/a 

N/a 

12.7

Light SSW winds

 

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

 

We did not get a big shot of snow out of this storm but there may be more on the way tonight. I have seen some big discrepancies on possible forecast amounts so there is a chance we’ll see more than the forecast 2-4 inches. Let’s hope. So, not much snow, but plenty of wind. Winds averaged over the critical value of 15 mph pretty much the entire duration of the snowfall event. With only 5 inches of new snow, I doubt we’ll be seeing the dramatic avalanche cycle that has begun in the San Jeans, but it is bumping up the hazard a bit. There was some small slab activity noted today in upper Dory Canyon. Right now in the La Sals we are calling the avalanche danger MODERATE with Pockets of CONSIDERABLE on East thru Northwest facing slopes above 9500’. This means that human triggered avalanches are probable on upper elevation shady slopes and possible on others. The skiing does continue to improve, but remember we are in a period of increasing avalanche danger so make your travel plans accordingly.