Wasatch Cache National Forest
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 Salt Lake County.

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AVALANCHE ADVISORY

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Tuesday, November 21, 2006  7:30 am
Good morning, this is Brett Kobernik with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center.  Today is Tuesday, November 21, 2006 and it’s 7:30 in the morning. 

 

UDOT will do artillery avalanche control in Little Cottonwood Canyon this morning.  The road will be closed from around 7:30 to 9:00am.  UDOT will do the same in Big Cottonwood Canyon on Wednesday but with only intermittent road closers.  Click this message for details.

 

Current Conditions:

This mornings weather conditions almost mimic yesterday’s.  Mountain temperatures remain inverted with overnight lows in the mid-to upper 30’s above 9500 feet.  On the backside of the ridge of high pressure, winds are out of the south and southwest averaging 15-25mph but show signs of increasing over the last few hours with gusts into the 60s at the most exposed locations.

 

Snowpack and Avalanche Conditions:

Surface conditions range from supportable melt freeze crusts on southerly aspects to dense settled powder and wind blown snow on the northerly aspects.  No avalanche activity was reported from yesterday.  This was due to the fact that I received no backcountry observation this morning. 

 

So, if a tree falls in the woods……….?

 

We tend to overlook persistent weakness during periods when no one is out getting collapsing or avalanching.  But, since no one is triggering avalanches, does this mean the weakness is done with?  Not necessarily.  While many slopes have undergone significant settling, I imagine that people could still find a slope that has a slab with enough tension still to crack, propagate, and avalanche.  Like the message we’ve been preaching over the last week, you’ll find these suspect slopes on upper elevation northerly aspects.  

 

 

 

 

Bottom Line:

Most slopes have a LOW danger today.  However, a MODERATE danger still exists on northwest, north and northeast facing slopes above 9,500 feet that are steeper then 35 degrees.

 

Mountain Weather:

Under southwest flow we’ll see cloudy skies with southwest winds in the 15 to 25 mph range gusting into the 40s along the ridges.  Gusts will be around 60 at the most exposed locations.  10,000’ temperatures will be in the upper 30s.  Wednesday looks like a repeat of today with slight cooling.  On Thanksgiving we’ll have a chance for snow with a short wave trof that moves through.  This appears like it won’t be a big event.

 

Announcements:

The next FUAC fundraiser will be at Brewvies.  “The Anomaly” by TGR is playing on Dec 7th, with two showings, at 7pm and 9pm.  Advance tickets are available.

 

We appreciate any snowpack and avalanche observations, so please let us know by calling (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.

 

Our staff will update this advisory by 7:30 on Wednesday morning and thanks for calling.