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
“keeping
you on top”
AVALANCHE ADVISORY
Thursday,
March 22, 2007 7:30 am
Good morning, this is
Current Conditions:
Yesterday’s 4-6 inches
of new snow seemed like quite a treat after hot, sweltering weather since
nearly the first of the month. But it is
spring, after all, and it all turned to mank in a hurry except for the
straight, north-facing slopes above about 9,500’. The new snow is heavily sun crusted this
morning except for upper elevation north facing slopes. Yesterday, at elevations below about 8,500’,
the old snow was not very supportable and people reported punching through into
wet snow. This morning, the ridge top
temperatures remain the same as yesterday—20 to 25 degrees—but in the mountain
basin bottoms, the temperatures are 5 degrees colder than yesterday and are
also 20-25 degrees. Skies were clear
overnight so combined with the colder temperatures and clear skies, there
should be a good refreeze overnight in most areas and it will be more solid
than yesterday morning.
Snow and Avalanche Discussion:
A strong wind came up
yesterday morning, which drifted snow in above-treeline slopes and created
widespread areas of dense, shallow, soft, wind slabs, which would crack under
you and slide on the steeper slopes. But
the spring heat settled them out by noon, so they should not be a problem again
today.
Today the biggest problem will once again be the lingering potential of wet
slabs, some of which could break deep into old, wet, faceted snow several feet
deep. Yesterday we had a report of wet
slabs breaking out in the backcountry near
See photos and field reports from yesterday at our PHOTOS page.
Bottom Line for the
The avalanche danger
is MODERATE on slopes steeper than about 35
degrees, when slopes get wet and soggy, especially in the heat of the afternoon
on sun exposed slopes.
Mountain Weather:
Today should be a
bluebird, sunny day with light ridgetop winds and ridge top temperatures near
freezing. 8,000’ temperatures will probably
get up into the 40’s in the warm sun. We
may get a few high and mid level clouds on Friday and a brush-by system on Sunday
may give us a few snowflakes, but otherwise, nothing until next Tuesday and
Wednesday when a strong cold font is forecast.
Announcements:
The Wasatch Powderbird
Guides didn’t get out yesterday and today they will fly in
Today, Evelyn Lees will teach a day long Women’s Avalanche
Awareness class at Alta covering beacon use and basic safe travel, terrain and
snowpack information, for $30. For more
details go to: www.altaarts.org.
Listen to the
advisory. Try our new streaming audio or
podcasts
UDOT highway avalanche
control work info can be found HERE
or by calling (801)
975-4838.
Our
statewide tollfree line is 1-888-999-4019 (early morning, option 8).
For a list of avalanche
classes, click HERE
For our classic text advisory click HERE.
To sign up for automated e-mails of our graphical advisory click HERE
We appreciate all the great
snowpack and avalanche observations we’ve been getting, so keep leaving us
messages at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at [email protected]. (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.
Brett Kobernik will update this advisory by 7:30 on Friday morning, and
thanks for calling.