Snow,
Weather, and Avalanche Advisory
Introduction:
Good Morning! This is
Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your with your avalanche
and mountain weather advisory for the Wasatch Plateau/Manti Skyline Region,
including, but not limited to Huntington and Fairview Canyons. This advisory is brought to you through
a partnership of Utah State Parks and the USFS. Today is Friday, January 7th, 2005 at 7:30 a.m.
Education:
Be on the lookout for avalanche awareness classes near you! We will be teaching two AIARE Level I
Avalanche Course on the Skyline this year, if you are interested, you can
contact Max Forgensi at 435.636.3363.
They will be an educational three day course with an emphasis on field
instruction. The January course is
full, although the February 4th-6th class is open. Call to sign up!
Current Conditions:
Snow,
wind, snow and more wind. The
Manti Skyline is under a HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
for today and tomorrow. Very
strong winds and periods of heavy snowfall could cause considerable blowing and
drifting of snow, increasing the avalanche hazard and compromising road
conditions. The Skyline has
received close to 24” since the New Year, 6” falling last weekend and an
additional 14” of snow falling early this week. Natural avalanche activity has and will continue to happen
throughout the weekend. There is
plenty of snow on everyone’s favorite designated trails and powder fields, once
again this weekend will be a good time to stay away from the steeper terrain
until the snow stops falling and wind stops a blowing.
Mountain Weather:
Snow and wind, snow and wind. Periods of poor visibility.
Today: VERY
WINDY. Slight chance of
snow in the morning then snow developing in the afternoon. Accumulations up to 3” expected. High at 8,000’ in the mid-20’s. Winds will start out of the Southwest
at 20-30 mph, increasing to 30-40 mph while the wind direction veers to the
South.
TONIGHT: Strong winds out
of the Southwest at 35-45 mph.
Periods of heavy snow.
Accumulations of 4-8” expected.
Low temperatures around 15 degrees.
Saturday: More snow and
wind. Check the advisory tomorrow
morning, the weather is quite unstable.
Avalanche Conditions:
The Skyline is setting up for another large avalanche cycle,
strong winds and heavy snow will be loading the weak snow pack on the
slopes. The avalanche danger is
rising on all aspects and at all elevations, especially on leeward sides of
ridges and peaks. With strong
winds expected out of the SW-S, the slopes on N-NE aspects will be being loaded
by the winds. To increase the
problem with these N-NE aspects, they also hold the weakest snow on the ground
currently. Anyone up on the
Skyline this past week should have noticed a sizable natural on the Big
Drift. (N-NE aspect) The Big Drift failed during this past
weekend’s storm. You can bet many
more cornices and steep slopes will fail under the current and expected snow
loads. I am going to rate the
avalanche danger at MODERATE this morning,
with the avalanche danger at CONSIDERABLE on slopes greater than 35 degrees. The avalanche danger could increase to HIGH in response to more snow and wind throughout
the day and into tomorrow as the storm continues. Keep your slope angles today below 30 degrees, and travel a
safe distance from the run-out zones of avalanche paths. Travel in places that you have some
visibility (in trees) or on designated travel routes that stays clear of
avalanche terrain. For the next
couple of days, let Mother Nature play with the steep terrain.