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
Friday,
March 21, 2008 7:30 am
Good morning, this is
Current Conditions:
It’s been a great
winter to be in the Wasatch with an abundance of snow and mostly manageable
avalanche conditions. Yet another
refresher treated us to around 6 inches of new snow on Thursday with the
Snow and Avalanche Discussion:
We had numerous types
of avalanche
activity on Thursday in the form of natural loose, natural slab, human
triggered loose, human triggered slab, and wet slide activity following the
clearing. Most of this activity was
fairly shallow and the slabs generally less then 30 feet wide but there were a
couple along the highest ridges that cracked out 100 feet wide or so. Some of the human triggered activity did run
a fair distance. The wet activity
probably posed the greatest threat producing some sizeable debris piles that
would grind you up pretty good if you were caught.
All of the activity
from Thursday should be much less pronounced today but we’ll want to watch for
similar things. You may be able to still
initiate sluffing and small soft slabs on the steep northerly facing slopes
that have powder remaining. Wet activity
will probably be less pronounced as well but don’t let your guard down and
constantly monitor how damp the snow becomes.
Consider where your route may put you later in the day during the most
intense heating. Savvy folks stick to
shaded high north aspects as things heat up and avoid gullies and terrain traps.
Bottom Line for the
We will have a pockety
MODERATE avalanche danger today from
avalanches within the new snow. You may still
initiate sluffing and small soft slabs in the high north terrain. The avalanche danger will rise to MODERATE on the southerly aspects as well as north at lower
elevations with daytime heating.
Mountain Weather:
Moisture in the mid
portion of the atmosphere pushing up against the mountains will form some
clouds and the slim chance for isolated flurries this morning with clearing
expected later. Westerly winds will blow
strongest this morning then slow a bit afternoon. We’ll see gusts near 40 at the most exposed
locations and gusts to around 20 along the mid elevation ridges slowing as the
day goes on. Temperatures will reach into
the mid to upper 30s at 8000 feet and around 30 at the higher locations. Dry conditions with warming will occur over
the next few days.
Announcements
The Wasatch Powderbird Guides flew in
Today if the weather allows WPG may use two
helicopters in the Tri-canyon area. WPG may be in:
Mineral,
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).
Watch video tututorials and fieldwork from UAC staff at our YouTube
channel.
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.
I will update this advisory by 7:30 on Saturday morning.