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AVALANCHE ADVISORY
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Tuesday,
November 14, 2006 7:30 am
Good morning, this is Drew Hardesty with
the
Special Announcement:
Alta and Snowbird resorts will be closed to
uphill traffic today due to avalanche control work.
Current Conditions:
A warm, vigorous storm
system moved through overnight, pounding the Wasatch with strong westerly winds
and heavy precipitation rates. With much
of the snowfall arriving before frontal passage, densities ranged from 12-15%
as the rain-snow line hovered around 7500.
The blustery winds averaged 30-40mph with gusts into the 80s for much
of the night. For snowfall, the Ogden
area mountains were hit the hardest on the west to southwest flow with up to 2
of snow water equivalent, loosely translating to 8-10 along the highest elevations. The tri-Canyons and high elevation
Snowpack and Avalanche Conditions:
Fewer folks were out
yesterday and yet there was a serious close call in the unopened Alta terrain
near West Rustler, a rocky exposed northeast facing shot at a little over
10,000 in elevation. The skier
triggered and was subsequently buried by the 1-2 deep, 40 wide avalanche with
only his face poking out of the snow.
Fortunately, he walked away with only minor bumps and bruises. Just down the street in Little Cottonwood,
active control work pulled out avalanches to the ground in similar terrain. Audible collapses in the snowpack were
less-than-subtle reminders that the early season facets in the high northerly
terrain remain active and cranky.
The new snow and wind
drifts will be very sensitive today in steep upper elevation terrain and will
likely overload the lingering basal weaknesses from the early season
snows. Shooting cracks and collapsing in
the inverted layering will be the rule rather than the exception as the snowpack
takes its second thumpin of the year. The weak basal layering is most pronounced on
northwest through north through east facing slopes above about 10,000 and it
may be possible to trigger avalanches at a distance. A simple ski pole test down to the ground
will give the story in the absence of any audible whoomph or collapse.
Bottom Line:
The avalanche danger
is CONSIDERABLE
on any slope steeper than about 35 degrees with fresh drifts of wind blown
snow. Human triggered avalanches will be
probable and there will likely be evidence of natural activity from the brunt
of the storm. Any avalanche triggered in
the steep upper elevation northwest through east facing slopes will have the
potential to be large and dangerous, pulling out to the ground.
Mountain Weather:
The storm should start
winding down by midday with another 6 or so expected. The northwest winds should blow 25-30mph for
most of the morning, then taper off by the
afternoon. 10,000 temps will drop to
the low teens. High pressure builds in
for the week with a few minor disturbances expected late Thursday and over the
weekend.
To find early season
weather information, be sure to bookmark the National Weather Service page and you should regularly consult the Snow Page, (Alta Collins station
is operating) the Satellite
Imagery page (look at infrared
If there is anything
we should know about, continue to let us know by calling (801) 524-5304 or
1-800-662-4140, email [email protected]
or fax 801-524-6301
Finally, remember that
this avalanche bulletin describes general conditions and that local variations
always occur. Be sure to take a
reputable avalanche class and learn to judge local conditions as you travel.