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 Sunday, February 11th, 2007 at 8:00 a.m.    

             

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:

            Unsettled weather is in the forecast for the next few days up on the Skyline.  A moist west-southwest flow aloft will bring a series of weather disturbances across Utah today through early Monday.  Another storm system mid-week will affect mainly central and southern Utah.  Our SNOTEL weather stations up on the Skyline looks like we picked up 3”-5” of really wet snow overnight with winds averaging in the mid-teens for the past 9 hours out of the West.  This warm snow will freshen conditions up a bit for today, although it is going to increase the avalanche danger as well.  The Northern Mountains in Utah are currently under an AVALANCHE WARNING.  The Skyline has not seen as much snow as our Northerly neighbors and just as well…our weak snow pack structure will not hold that much new, heavy weight. 

 

Mountain Weather:

Today: Snow. Snow accumulation 1 inch. Probability of measurable precipitation 90 percent. Southwest wind 7 mph. High 37.
Tonight: Snow. Snow accumulation 1 inch. Probability of measurable precipitation 70 percent. West wind 10 mph. Low 23.
Monday: Cloudy. Chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 30 percent. West wind 8 mph. High 34.
Monday Night: Cloudy. Slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. West wind 6 mph. Low 14.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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’):

25.7”

5”

31.5

Very wet snow

Seeley Creek SNOTEL (10,000’):

20”

3”

29.7

Winds out of the W at 15 gust to 26

Skyline Wind Site (SH 31):

Wx down

Wx down

Wx down

Wx down

Miller Flat Trailhead: 

30””

3”-5”

~

Very wet snow

 

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

             Heavy snow, transport wind and a weak snow pack structure all adds up to increased avalanche danger.  Consistent winds for the past 9 hours out of the West will be transporting and depositing wind slabs on NE-SE aspects.  Expect avalanches to be larger than they have been…this could be a good avalanche cycle if the snow and winds persist. 

            The BOTTOM LINE for today will be an AVALANCHE DANGER of CONSIDERABLE on all aspects where recent slabs and sensitive cornices have been deposited.  This will especially be true in the steep alpine bowls south of State highway 31. 

            Do not drop your guard due to Powder Fever!  Base your travel and recreation on Mother Nature’s signs and by testing small slopes before committing to larger, potentially more dangerous slopes.  Have fun, but be careful.