Wasatch Cache National Forest
In partnership with: Utah State Parks and Recreation, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and Salt Lake County.

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center Home page is: http://www.utahavalanchecenter.com

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Avalanche advisory

Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Good morning, this is Evelyn Lees with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your backcountry avalanche and mountain weather advisory.  Today is Wednesday, March 30, 2005, and its 7:30 in the morning.

Current Conditions:
It is another “powder as far as the eye can see” sort of day. In the last 24 hours, the Cottonwoods have received another foot and half of low density snow, with the Ogden, Provo, and Park City side picking up around a foot. While snowfall has tapered off in the Ogden and Provo mountains this morning, lake effect bands are continuing to produce heavy snow in the Salt Lake and Park City mountains, with rates of 2 to 3” per hour. Storm totals since Monday are close to 3 feet in the Cottonwoods, with 1 ½ to 2’ throughout the rest of the range. Overnight, the west to northwest winds have been a steady 20 to 30 mph across the highest peaks, with gusts in the 40’s and 50’s. Temperatures are in the mid teens at 10,000’.

Avalanche Conditions:
Yesterday, there were two human triggered slides in the backcountry. One slide was in Powder Park (Mill D north), a soft slab about 1.5' deep by 50' wide, on a steep north facing slope. The skier was carried, but stopped. The other slide was off of north facing Pioneer ridge, about 1.5 to 3 feet deep. It was unintentionally triggered, but the rider was not caught. Highway control work in Little Cottonwood triggered 2 slabs about 2 feet deep by 75’ wide on southeasterly facing slopes. At least one of these slides broke at the weekend crust. A large natural ran overnight in the Ogden area mountains, reported by the snow cat drivers.

Today, at minimum, there will be very sensitive new snow sluffs and soft slabs, especially in wind affected terrain and during periods of intense precipitation. Also of concern is the potential for some slides to break down to last weekend’s crust. These slides would be wider, faster running and 3 to 4 feet deep. So as you head out today, realize the avalanche danger will vary through out the range. The danger is lower on wind sheltered, lower angle slopes that have received less than a foot of new snow overnight. The avalanche danger is higher in terrain that is receiving intense precipitation or any area where the wind is blowing and drifting the snow.

Bottom Line (Salt Lake and Park City, Ogden and Provo mountains)
In areas receiving heavy snowfall and/or wind, the avalanche danger is HIGH on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees, especially with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Both natural and human triggered slides are likely. Out of the stormiest areas, most steep slopes have a CONSIDERABLE danger. If the clouds thin or the sun breaks through later today, the danger of wet loose slides will rise to MODERATE on the steep sun-exposed slopes.

Danger Scale: http://www.avalanche.org/~uac/ed-scale.htm

Mountain Weather: (You can find the afternoon Weather Update here.)
A cold storm system over the area will keep the snow falling in the mountains much of the day. Heavy snow will persist this morning in some areas as lake effect bands continue to move up into the mountains. Localized squalls could put down several inches per hour in one area, with only light snow the next drainage over. Snowfall intensity should gradually decrease through out the day. The northwesterly ridgetop winds will remain in the 15 to 25 mph range today. High temperatures will be in the mid 20’s at 8,000’ and near 10 at 10,000’. Tonight, a few lingering snow showers, with lows near 10 and moderate northerly winds. High pressure will start to build in over the area Thursday, bringing a drying and warming trend that will last through the weekend.

Yesterday, Powderbird guides were in Cardiff Fork, and they will not be flying today.

UDOT COTTONWOOD CANYONS HOTLINE FOR ROAD CLOSURE AND AVALANCHE CONTROL INFORMATION: 975-4838.

If you are getting out, we appreciate your snowpack and avalanche observations. Please call and leave a message at 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or e-mail us at [email protected]. Fax is 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.

Brett Kobernik will update this advisory by 7:30 on Thursday morning.

Thanks for calling.