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:

        

 

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Avalanche INFORMATION

Tuesday, November 23, 2004 12:00 pm         

 

Good afternoon, this is Evelyn Lees with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your backcountry avalanche and mountain weather information.  Today is Tuesday, November 23rd, 2004, and it’s12:00 pm.  We’ll go to a regular morning schedule starting on Thanksgiving Day. 

 

There are two upcoming benefits for our partners The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center.  On Tuesday, November 30th, Howie Garber will be giving a nature photography slide show at 7pm at the Ft. Douglas Post Theater on the U of U Campus.  Then on Thursday December 2nd, Brewvies will have their 4th annual Ski Bum Movie Night with two showings of TGR’s latest film “Soul Purpose” plus the film “Sinners”, at 7pm and at 9pm. 

 

Current Conditions: 

Skies will be mostly cloudy for the next few days as weak weather disturbances move across northern Utah.  The winds will be moderate from the northwest, and temperatures will warm slightly on Wednesday.  On the wind sheltered shady slopes above about 9,000’ the recrystallized snow is mixed in with 1 to 3” of new fluff for enjoyable turning and riding conditions.  The sunnier slopes are a challenging mix of breakable and supportable crusts.

 

Avalanche Conditions:

The main avalanche concern for the rest of today and Wednesday will be fresh drifts of wind blown snow created by the northwesterly winds.  These drifts will be found both along ridgelines and cross loaded lower in open bowls and around terrain features such as the sides of gullies and sub ridges. These drifts will be sensitive to the weight of a person on steep slopes, and large enough to knock you off your feet or take you for a ride if they surprise you or break above you.  As the winds gradually increase on Wednesday, these drifts will become deeper and more widespread, breaking out up to 1 to 2 feet deep.  So continue to avoid any fresh drifts of wind blown snow, especially on steep, shady slopes.  Sluffing of the weak surface snow is also a problem on continuously steep, shady slopes.

 

Mountain Weather:

Weak weather disturbances moving across northern Utah will bring some clouds and light snow today and Wednesday.  A couple of stronger systems will bring colder temperatures and more significant snow Thursday night through Saturday.  The winds will be from the northwest in the 15 to 20 mph range Tuesday, increasing on Wednesday to into the 20 to 25 mph range or stronger.  Temperatures will gradually warm, into the mid 20’s and lower 30’s on Wednesday.  Only a trace to a few inches of new snow is expected through Wednesday night.   

 

If you are getting out, drop us a line or an email with any reports or observations from the backcountry.  You can leave us a message at 524-5304 or 1 800-662-4140.  Email us at [email protected], or send a fax to 524-6301. 

The information in this advisory is from the US 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 by 7:30 Thursday morning, and thanks for calling.

 

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For an explanation of avalanche danger ratings:

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