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Avalanche Advisory
| Advisory: Ogden Area Mountains | Issued by Evelyn Lees for Sunday - April 9, 2017 - 7:09am |
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bottom line CONSIDERABLE Avalanche Danger on steep, upper elevation slopes with recent drifts of wind blown snow. Human triggered avalanche likely, natural avalanche possible. Avoid avalanche run out zones. MODERATE Avalanche Danger of triggering new snow soft slabs and sluffs, even out of the wind-affected terrain, MODERATE Avalanche Danger when the sun comes out later today for triggering wet loose sluffs on steep, sunny slopes. GO TO TERRAIN: acres of untracked powder on wind-sheltered slopes less steep than about 35 degrees, providing excellent turning and riding conditions.
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current conditions Today could be THE POWDER DAY of April…a cold, moist storm has dropped 12 to 18” in the Ogden area mountains, about 1/2 of which fell overnight. It’s a “right side up” storm, with lighter snow falling on a dense graupel base from yesterday. The wintery morning temperatures are in the teens and low twenties. Unfortunately, the pesky southwest to northwesterly winds have averaged 20 to 25 mph at times, with gusts in the 40s. They seem to be decreasing the past few hours in the Ogden area mountains. |
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recent activity No avalanche activity reported from yesterday. |
Avalanche Problem 1
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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LIKELIHOOD
 LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
 LARGE
SMALL
TREND
 INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
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description
The winds are a spoiler – in the last 24 hours, there have been periods of moderate to strong winds from the south, west and now northwest. Be prepared to find sensitive wind drifts on almost any aspect in upper and mid elevation terrain, both along the ridge lines and on open wind exposed slopes, along gully walls and at slope break overs. Avoid any steep, wind-drifted slopes and seek wind-sheltered terrain. Avoid any new cornices, and continue to stay well back from the edges of the huge old cornices along the ridge lines, and avoid travel beneath them. The fresh snow and flat light make it very hard to realize how overhung they are. |
Avalanche Problem 2
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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LIKELIHOOD
 LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
 LARGE
SMALL
TREND
 INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
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description
Loose sluffs and soft slabs can be triggered today in the 1 to 2 feet of fresh powder on steep slopes. Yesterday, I found a weak layer of graupel was at the base of new snow in Big Cottonwood. I don't know if that layer is in the Ogden area mountains. Graupel can also pool beneath cliffs and gullies, allowing for potentially deeper slides. I would dig down to below the new snow as part of your snow stability analysis. |
Avalanche Problem 3
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
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LIKELIHOOD
 LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
 INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
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description
The sun is forecast to come out this afternoon, and is so strong this time of year it will almost instantly dampen the snow. It will become easy to trigger wet loose sluffs on steep sunny slopes, so be ready to get off steep slopes if the snow heats where you are. I don’t know if natural wet loose sluffs will be possible, but if the snow heats up, avoid travel below steep slopes and especially confined gullies. |
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weather Snow showers should taper off by late morning, with partial clearing this afternoon. An additional 1 to 3” of snow is possible, mostly before 10 am. The gusty northwesterly winds are forecast to stay at the slower speeds today, with averages to 10 to 20 mph. The highest peaks could still average 25 mph at times with gusts in the 30s. Temperatures will remain delightfully cool – in the teens along the ridge lines and near 30°F at 8,000’. Cold and clear tonight. A drier west to southwest flow will develop overnight and persist through Tuesday with a gradual warming trend. More snow is possible for the mountains next Friday. |
general announcements
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