US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

Good morning, this Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory for the Wasatch Plateau/Manti Skyline Region, including, but not limited to Ephraim, Huntington and Fairview Canyons.  This advisory is brought to you through a partnership of Utah State Parks and the USFS.  Today is Monday, January 1st 2007…Happy New Year!   

 

If you have been out in the backcountry, please post your OBSERVATIONS with us!

To check out past advisories, go to ARCHIVE. 

To check out the current weather, go to our WEATHER page.  

For more information on snowmobiling on the Skyline, click this LINK

 

  

General Conditions:

                It’s a mixed bag of conditions out there right now folks, Hard wind packed snow to rotten, hollow sugar and everything in between. There’s been about 4” of new snow since Christmas.  Expect the ridge of high pressure to persist through New Years Day and into the Former President Ford’s day of mourning on Tuesday.  Each day will get a bit warmer with valley inversions in place until Thursday, when an approaching cold front will pass.  We need some snow to freshen the conditions up and have a winter in 2007.     

 

Mountain Weather:

Today: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Snow accumulation 1 inch. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. North wind 10 mph. High 26.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Northeast wind 7 mph. Low 9.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. North wind 10 mph. High 33.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy. North wind 8 mph. Low 15.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Weather Station/ Location

Snow Depth (HS):  in./cm

New Snow (HN) in./cm

7:00 a.m. Temp (F)

Current Observations:  Wind, 48 hour snow

Mammoth/Cottonwood SNOTEL (8,800’):

23”

0

27

~

Seeley Creek SNOTEL (10,000’):

21

0

24

Winds light out of the West at 4 mph

Skyline Wind Site (SH 31):

~

0

27

Winds light out of the SSW at 6 mph

Miller Flat Trailhead: 

26”

0

~

Thin snow cover, watch for ground hazards!

 

Avalanche Conditions: (Click here for the International Avalanche Danger Scale)

            With the underlying weak snow in many areas and all of the wind moving snow around a betting man would have to say there are avalanches possible out there. The question is where? I‘d be most suspect of upper elevation SE – NE facing slopes where there is evidence of wind loading. Yesterday’s westerly winds will help intensify the potential on these slopes. This loading will be evident in the form of rounded, possibly hollow sounding pillows of smooth looking snow.  These areas of snow, or slabs, may be pushed a bit father down slope than usual due to high winds and there may be the odd “sledder education pocket” on SW facing slopes as well due to the East winds we’ve had. We are calling the avalanche danger on the Manti-Skyline today MODERATE, which means that human triggered avalanches are possible. The hazard will be spotty and inconsistent dependent on where the winds have deposited the snow. Take care around cornices and have a look before you jump one, there could be a surprise waiting below. We’ll update this message tomorrow morning.