In partnership with: The Friends of the
Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department of Public Safety Division of
Comprehensive Emergency Management,
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Avalanche ADVISORY
Tuesday, December 07,
2004 7:30 Am
Good
morning, this is Evelyn Lees with the
Provo Canyon DOT will be sighting in their artillery along the
south side of the canyon as soon as weather permits, which will close the area
for ice climbing.
Current Conditions:
A
series of fast moving Pacific storms will cross the
Avalanche Conditions:
The
avalanche danger is increasing today as the winds blow and drift the snow into
dense slabs. These fresh drifts of wind
blown snow are sitting on a widespread layer of weak facets and surface hoar,
and will be very sensitive. Strong winds
make a complex loading pattern, with the drifts both along and well off the
ridgelines, on a variety of aspects, and deposited around terrain features such
as sub ridges, gully walls, and rollovers.
While cracking and collapsing are the classic warning signs, sometimes hard
slabs can be tricky, waiting to break out above you once you’re mid slope. While the drifts may be shallow and pockety
this morning, they will become more widespread and deeper once the snowfall
begins. Slopes that slid during the last
avalanche cycle could be very sensitive, and there is the possibility of larger
slides breaking into one of the more deeply buried weak layers.
The
lower and mid elevation slopes have the same weak surface snow, so avalanches
are possible on steep slopes at these lower elevations if they get loaded with
new snow or wind drifts.
Bottom Line (
The
avalanche danger is increasing to CONSIDERABLE
on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees,
especially with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Considerable means human triggered slides are
probable and natural slides are possible.
There is a LOW danger on wind sheltered,
low angle slopes.
If snowfall
amounts in the
Mountain Weather:
A
strong and moist flow will be over the area through Thursday. Today’s storm is expected to bring 3 to 6” of
snow south of I-80, with 4 to 8” possible north of I-80 in the in the Ogden and
Logan mountains. This morning’s strong,
southwest winds should decrease into the 20 to 30 mph range this afternoon. Highs will be near 25 at 8,000’ and 18 at
10,000’. Another 1 to 4” of snow is possible
tonight, with the snow tapering off after midnight. Snow and strong winds will return Wednesday
afternoon and continue through Thursday as a second storm arrives. A ridge of high pressure will develop for the
weekend, with a warming and drying trend.
I’ll have our more detailed mountain weather forecast
updated by about noon.
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.
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