In partnership with: Utah Division of State
Parks and Recreation, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department
of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and
AVALANCHE ADVISORY
Wednesday,
April 05, 2006 7:30 am
Good morning, this is Evelyn Lees with
the
Current Conditions:
Its another warm and windy morning,
with above freezing temperatures at almost every mountain station and temperatures
in the balmy 40s at the 8,500 level. The
brisk, southerly winds continue to average 20 to 30 mph along the ridges, with gusts
into the 40s. The snow surface is almost
universally warm and damp, with the only dry snow to be found above about
10,500, on northerly facing slopes. On
many slopes below about 9,000, the snow is punchy and unsupportable.
Recent Avalanche Activity & Snowpack Discussion:
Yesterday, there were the
expected reports of wet sluffs and a few shallow wet slabs. Today, it continues to be possible to trigger
wet loose sluffs on almost any steep slopes in the range. As these sluffs move down hill, they have the
potential to trigger shallow wet slabs or to gouge down, entraining more snow
and resulting in deep debris piles. Rounding
out the encyclopedia of wet snow problems, is the potential for glide avalanches
and for sensitive cornices to break back much further than expected. These avalanche problems will be most
widespread in terrain that has had above freezing temperatures for 72 hours,
including the Odgen area mountains and many of elevations
below about 8,500. The ability to
trigger wet slides will also increase on any slope that receives a significant period
of rain today. Even after temperatures
cool this afternoon, the wet snow will take at least an additional day to cool
and strengthen.
The cold front should
finally arrive around midday, with the snow level dropping to 6 or 7,000. As the new snow builds up, the strong
southwesterly winds will quickly form new drifts that will be sensitive to the
weight of a person on a steep slope. It
will be a different landscape tomorrow, with more widespread new snow and
windslab avalanche problems.
Bottom Line:
The avalanche danger is MODERATE today on all
slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. Due
to a prolonged warming trend, human triggered wet sluffs and slab avalanches are
possible, especially on any slope that receives significant rain today. The danger of new snow slides will increase
to MODERATE on steep slopes later today as the
snow piles up, especially on any wind drifted slopes. With 1 to 2 of new snow and moderate winds forecast,
the avalanche danger will increase
tonight and tomorrow.
Mountain Weather:
The overdue storm continues
to creep through
Announcements:
Early birds and snow geeks can catch our 6AM report
at 364-1591.
Click here to check out our new online avalanche
encyclopedia.
Click HERE for a text
only version of the avalanche advisory.
To have this advisory automatically e-mailed to you each day, click HERE.
UDOT also has a highway avalanche
control work hotline for Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, and
The Wasatch Powderbird Guides did not fly on Tuesday and wont fly today. For more info, call 742-2800.
Please report any backcountry snow and avalanche conditions. Call (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, email [email protected] or fax 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.