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
Wednesday,
February 13, 2008 7:30 am
Good morning, this is
Current Conditions:
The southwesterly winds
are picking up this morning, ahead of an intense cold front that will reach the
northern mountains early this afternoon. Wind speeds are in the 20 to 30 mph range,
with gusts in the 40’s. Temperatures are
also increasing, currently in the upper 20’s at 10,000’. Travel conditions are fast and fun with supportable
snow on most aspects, and good turning and riding conditions on northerly and
easterly facing slopes in windblown and recrystalized powder over a dense, carvable
base.
Snow and Avalanche Discussion:
This morning, before
the arrival of the storm, the snowpack is generally stable, with just a few isolated
avalanche concerns. It will be possible
to trigger damp sluffs on steep slopes, mostly at the lower elevations, and both
cornices and new wind drifts could be sensitive, with the cornices breaking
back further than expected.
Avalanche conditions
will change rapidly with the arrival of the cold front early this
afternoon. Possible lightning, strong winds,
and a period of very high snowfall rates for several hours will combine to create
both dangerous travel conditions and an increasing avalanche danger. As the new snow accumulates or drifts to
depths of about 6 inches or more, it will become possible to trigger new snow
soft slabs on steep slopes. The bonding
of the new snow to the old snow could initially be poor on hard slick crusts or
old wind slabs, and on slopes where the surface
hoar is preserved and buried. Ski or
slope cuts on small test slopes will be a good stability testing tool today. Sluffs and slides triggered in long gullies or
on continuously steep slopes, like those in the
Bottom Line for the
The
avalanche danger is mostly LOW this morning, though it will be possible to trigger sluffs
in the damp low elevation snow, and wind drifts and cornices at the higher
elevations. The avalanche danger will
rapidly rise to MODERATE this afternoon with the arrival of the
cold front, and sensitive human triggered new snow sluffs and slides will be possible
on slopes of about 35 degrees and steeper, especially where wind drifted.
Mountain Weather:
Appearances can be deceiving
– this morning’s warm, spring like conditions will rapidly change when a strong
cold front sweeps into the area mid afternoon, with near blizzard
conditions. Ahead of the front, the southwesterly
winds will increase into the 25 to 35 mph range, with gusts into the 50’s and 60’s,
and temperatures warming into the low 30’s at 10,000’. After the arrival of the intense cold front, several
hours of heavy snowfall should produce 6 to 9 inches of snow by evening. The winds will shift to the northwest, still averaging
25 to 35 mph. Temperatures will plummet into
the single digits behind the front. A few
more inches of snow possible tonight, with storm totals of 6 to 12 inches likely. Cold and mostly clear on Thursday, followed
by a dry and warming trend for the weekend into early next week.
Announcements
Yesterday, Wasatch Powderbird Guides flew
in Cardiff, Days, Silver, Grizzly, Lambs, the Sessions, and if the winds allow,
today they will be in Mineral, Cardiff, Days, Silver, Grizzly, White Pine and
American Fork. For more detailed
information please call (801) 742-2800 or go to their daily blog.
There are a few spots left in the Friends of the
For folks with an Alta pass,
ACE (Alta Community Enrichment) is offering an avalanche awareness class the
evening of Feb 12 and 13, and ½ day the 16th, for $25. Pre Register at [email protected].
If you want to get this
avalanche advisory e-mailed to you daily click HERE.
UDOT highway avalanche control work info can be
found by calling (801) 975-4838.
Our statewide tollfree line is 1-888-999-4019 (early morning, option 8).
The UAC depends
on contributions from users like you to support our work. To find out
more about how you can support our efforts to continue providing the avalanche
forecasting and education that you expect please visit our Friends page.
If you see any avalanches or interesting snow conditions, please leave us a
message 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.
Bruce Tremper will update this advisory by 7:30 on Thursday morning.