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:

To have this advisory automatically e-mailed to you each day free of charge, visit: http://www.mailermailer.com/x?oid=16351h

For photos of avalanches and avalanche phenomenon, visit: http://www.avalanche.org/%7Euac/photos_03-04.htm (Updated 3/25)

Photos sent in by observers throughout the season visit: http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/obphotos/observer.html (Updated 3/12)

For a list of backcountry avalanche activity, visit: http://www.avalanche.org/%7Euac/Avalanche_List.htm (Updated 3/31)

Early morning preliminary information by about 6:00 am: 801-364-1591

Avalanche advisory

Thursday, April 01, 2004, 7:30 am

Good morning, this is Evelyn Lees with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your backcountry avalanche and mountain weather advisory. Today is Thursday, April 01, 2004, and it’s 7:30 a.m. This forecast is brought to you in partnership with the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, supported in part by the Uinta Brewing Company.

Current Conditions:

Hopes for cold snow have faded, as the rebellious low has turned yesterday’s computer models into an April Fools joke. The traitorous closed low and associated cool air are now expected to remain west of us in Nevada, with Utah trapped under a warm, southeasterly flow into the weekend. Skies have been cloudy most of the night, with temperatures stubbornly remaining near 40 at 9,000’. The southerly winds are in the 15 to 25 mph range at most stations, with the windiest locations closer to 40 mph. Gusts near 50 are common.

With warm temperatures and cloudy skies, there was no refreeze at the low and mid elevations, and the snow surface has remained damp and sloppy snow. There may have been a partial refreeze above about 10,000’, though any crusts will probably be thin and breakable. If you’re actually going to head into the backcountry today, umbrellas, plastic garbage bags and rubber ducky boots could be the proper attire.

Avalanche Conditions:

Once again, wet loose sluffs are the main avalanche concern. Backcountry travelers will be able to push or trigger wet sluffs on steep, snow covered slopes on all aspects and at all elevations. Steep, northerly facing slopes at mid and upper elevations have the least consolidated and coldest surface snow, and may be the most sensitive. Especially avoid traveling in or on steep slopes above terrain traps, such as gullies and road bank cuts. If you’re traveling in an area that receives moderate rain or heavier than expected amounts of wet snow, the avalanche danger could rise rapidly, with natural activity becoming possible.

Bottom Line for the Salt Lake, Park CITY, Provo, and ogden AREA MOUNTAINS:

The avalanche danger is moderate today on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees, with human triggered wet sluffs possible. In areas that receive significant rain or wet snow, the avalanche danger may rise to CONSIDERABLE, with natural avalanche activity possible.

Uinta Mountains: For Uinta specific information, click on Western Uintas on the advisory page or phone 1-800-648-7433.

Logan: click HERE or call 435-797-4146

Mountain Weather:

A very weak surface cold front is moving through northern Utah this morning, which will bring rain, white rain and even some snow to the northern mountains. The rain/snow line will begin near 10,000’ and gradually lower to around 8,000’ this afternoon. The higher elevations could get 2 to 4” of damp snow today and again tonight, with rain at the mid and lower elevations. The southeasterly winds will increase this morning ahead of the front, and then decrease this afternoon. Lightening is possible today. Northern Utah will remain under a mild, southeasterly flow through the weekend, with periods of light rain and snow and warm temperatures.

For specific digital forecasts for the Salt Lake, Provo or Ogden mountains, CLICK HERE.

General Information:

The Wasatch Powderbird Guides had an alpine tour from White Pine to Coal Pit yesterday, and today will be flying in Mineral, Cardiff, Days, Silver, and Grizzly weather permitting.

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 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.

Andrew McLean will update this advisory Friday morning.

Thanks for calling.

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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