Wasatch
Cache National Forest
In partnership with: The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center, Utah Department of
Public Safety Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management, Salt Lake County,
and Utah State Parks
The
Utah Avalanche Center
Home page is: http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/
Avalanche advisory
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Good morning, this is Tom Kimbrough
with the
Current Conditions:
It’s hard to believe its
November. We have had great spring conditions
for the past couple of days and more of the same is in store for today. Mountain temperatures are in the mid to upper
30’s this morning. Highs yesterday got
into the upper forties even at 10,000 feet.
Ridge top winds are 5 to 15 from the west.
The groomers
at the just-opening resorts are excellent skiing and boarding in fine springlike snow. In
the backcountry, the plethora of rocks, bushes, sun and wind crusts and general
deficiency of cover are, shall we say, challenging but there are a few patches
of decent recrystalized powder on slopes sheltered from wind and sun. Snowmobiling is limited to mid and upper
elevation roads and trails. Snowshoes
are a good choice for enjoying today’s May-like weather in the mountains.
Avalanche Conditions:
It seems too early in the
season to be talking about wet slides but that has been the only recent
avalanche activity. These wet point
release slides were on southerly facing slopes, above 9,000 feet and were
mostly associated with rock bands that heat up under the sun. Today will again be warm and there was not a
good overnight re-freeze so when the snow starts to get wet and sloppy later
this morning, get off of and out from under steep, sunny slopes.
There is also a slight chance
of triggering a deeper hard slab avalanche on the old October depth hoar or an
old wind drift. Please continue to use
caution on steep, mid and upper elevation shady slopes.
Bottom Line (SLC and
The avalanche danger is
generally LOW this
morning but may rise to MODERATE
on steep sun exposed slopes as temperatures increase. Pockets of MODERATE avalanche danger remain above about 9,000
feet, on very steep northeast, north and northwest facing slopes.
Ogden and Logan Area Mountains:
The avalanche danger is
generally LOW.
Mountain Weather:
This is probably our last day
of this unseasonably warm weather. Skies
will be mostly sunny this morning with increasing high clouds this
afternoon. High temperatures today will again
get into the upper forties in the mountains.
Winds will increase later today to 10 to 20 mph from the southwest. Overnight lows tonight should cool to near
thirty under mostly cloudy skies. A weak
but cool storm system will arrive Saturday with a chance for a few inches of
new snow. Sunday and Monday should
continue more November-like with cool, showery weather under a moist northwest
flow. None of this looks like the big
dump we need but at least it’s a change in the right direction.
General Information:
For a complete list of
avalanche talks and multi-day classes, visit www.avalanche.org
and click on
To report backcountry snow
and avalanche conditions, especially if you observe or trigger an avalanche,
call (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email to [email protected] or fax to
801-524-6301. The information in this
advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its
content. This advisory describes general
avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
Evelyn Lees will update this advisory by
Thanks for calling!
________________________________________________________________________
National
Weather Service - Salt Lake City - Snow.
For an explanation of
avalanche danger ratings: