Wasatch Cache National Forest

In partnership with: The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department of Public Safety Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, and Utah State Parks

 

: http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/

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Avalanche advisory

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2003   7:30 am

 

Good morning, this is Drew Hardesty with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory.  Today is Sunday, December 7th 2003, and it’s 7:30 a.m.  We’re giving two free avalanche awareness talks this week: the first will be at Black Diamond at 7pm on Tuesday night; the second on Wednesday at 7pm, at the Mt. Olympus Presbytarian church (3280E 3900S), sponsored by the Wasatch Mountain Club.

 

Current Conditions:

The storm is on our doorstep, and as of 5:30am, it’s just beginning to snow.  With current temperatures at most mountain locations in the 30’s, we’ll be starting with a rain/snow line at 7000’ that will drop to the valleys by afternoon.  Winds are still strong, averaging 25-30mph from the southwest, gusting into the 50’s. This looks to be a classic Wasatch storm with all the ingredients lined up for some epic snowfall: lots of moisture, an unstable airmass, a strong cold front, and a shift to a northwest flow after the front, with the lake effect kicking in. 

 

Avalanche Conditions:

This morning the danger will be low, but as the snow starts piling up, the hazard will certainly be on the rise.  As always, it’s important to get out before the storm to map out what the new snow will be falling on, as this could have a significant effect upon avalanche conditions.  In our forecast areas, the snow will be falling on a variety of snow surfaces, ranging from bulletproof windslabs and suncrusts to softer surfaces with yesterday’s inch or so on top.  On the southerly aspects at higher elevations, avalanches are likely to run fast and far, entraining lots of snow on the slick crusts formed in the past week.  With strong southwest winds accompanying this morning’s snowfall, be alert for sensitive wind drifts along the lee of the ridgelines and as always avoid any fresh deposits of wind blown snow.  As a last reminder, many folks have been caught on days when the avalanche danger increased over the course of the day.  ALWAYS BE ALERT FOR CHANGING CONDITIONS.  It’s not enough to make an assessment at the beginning of your tour and then not adjust as conditions warrant.

 

Bottom Line (Salt Lake, Park City, Ogden and Provo area mountains):

The avalanche danger is LOW this morning, but will be on the rise to perhaps CONSIDERABLE with the new snow and strong winds.  The hazard will be most pronounced at the upper elevations today. 

 

Mountain Weather:

We may see as much as a foot of new snow today, with another foot or so tonight.  Residual instability and the lake effect will likely keep the snow falling tomorrow as well.  Strong southwest winds will be 20-30mph this morning, shifting to the west by afternoon and dropping to 15-20mph.  Temperatures will drop into the 20’s with the arrival of the cold front by midday.  A ridge will develop Tuesday behind this storm with the possibility of more snow for Wednesday.

 

 

3-Day Table

3-Day Graph

7-Day Table

Ogden Mountains

Ogden Mountains

Ogden Mountains

SLC Mountains

SLC Mountains

SLC Mountains

Provo Mountains

Provo Mountains

Provo Mountains

 

For specific digital forecasts for selected mountain areas from the National Weather Service, click the links below or choose your own specific location at the National Weather Service Digital Forecast Page:

 

General Information:

 

If you are getting into the backcountry, please give us a call and let us know what you’re seeing, especially if you trigger an avalanche.  You can leave a message at 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140.  Or you can e-mail an observation to uac@avalanche .org, or you can fax an observation to 801-524-6301.

 

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center is offering two 3-day avalanche workshops which are being held January 17-19 and February 14-16.  Information and sign-up sheets are available at the Black Diamond store (2092 E. 3900 S.; 278-0233).

 

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. 

 

I will update this advisory on Monday morning.

Thanks for calling.

_____________________________________________________________________________

For more detailed weather information go to our Mountain Weather Advisory

National Weather Service - Salt Lake City - Snow.

For an explanation of avalanche danger ratings:

http://www.avalanche.org/usdanger.htm