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Cache National Forest
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Good Morning. This is Evelyn Lees with the
Current Conditions:
Under clear skies,
temperatures are in the mid teens to low 20s this morning. The northwesterly winds have been blowing
briskly for 24 hours. Most stations have
averaged 10 to 20 mph, with higher gusts.
Winds speeds across the highest peaks are still in the 30 mph range this
morning, with gusts in the 40s. Upper
Little Cottonwood managed to eke out an inch or two of new snow yesterday, with
other locations receiving just a trace.
The snow surface is starting to look a bit like a moonscape, with
widespread areas of hard sun and wind crusts and wind slabs. Only on the very most sheltered, shady slopes
will it be possible to find a few pa
Avalanche Conditions:
The moderate to strong winds
have eroded the snow on the west and northwesterly facing slopes, and
redeposited it has hard, dense wind drifts.
The new drifts are on a variety of aspects, cross loaded around terrain features
and well off the ridgelines in some areas.
The most widespread avalanche activity was reported from the
There are still localized
areas where a person could trigger a large slide in the weak facets near the
ground. While the facets are overlain by
thick layers of strong, hard snow in some areas, in the shallower snowpack
areas there is not much between the weight of a person and the weak snow.
Bottom Line (SLC,
Today, any steep slope with
recent wind deposits has a MODERATE
avalanche danger. There also continues to be a MODERATE danger of triggering a deep slab
avalanche on slopes facing northwest, north, northeast and east, above about
8,500 that are steeper than 35 degrees.
On south facing slopes without recent wind deposits and slopes less than
steep than 30 degrees, the avalanche danger is generally LOW.
Bottom Line (
Today, any steep slope with
recent wind deposits has a CONSIDERABLE
avalanche danger. There also continues to be a MODERATE danger of triggering a deep slab
avalanche on slopes facing northwest, north, northeast and east, above about
8,500 that are steeper than 35 degrees.
On south facing slopes without recent deposits wind deposits and slopes
less than steep than 30 degrees, the avalanche danger is generally LOW.
Mountain Weather:
A ridge of high pressure
along the west coast will put the area in a mostly dry northerly flow into the
weekend. The northwesterly winds will
gradually decrease today. Highs will be
in the mid 20s at 10,000 and the low 30s at 8,000. A piece of energy will slide down the east
side of the ridge tonight and Friday, bringing partly cloudy skies, with a
chance for a few snow flurries. Lows
tonight will be in the mid teens to mid 20s.
Northwest winds increasing again by Friday morning. The next chance for any measurable snow is
the middle of next week.
General Information:
Wasa
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.
Tom Kimbrough will update this advisory by
Thanks for calling!
________________________________________________________________________
National
Weather Service - Salt Lake City - Snow.
For an explanation of
avalanche danger ratings: