Wasatch Cache and Uinta National Forests
In partnership with: Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center and Utah State Parks.
Avalanche advisory
Saturday, April 5, 2003
Good Morning. This is Craig Gordon
with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain
weather advisory for the western Uinta Mountains including but not limited to
the terrain surrounding Chalk Creek, Smith-Moorehouse, the Mirror Lake Highway,
and Woodland. Recent fieldwork conducted on the Evanston side of the range and
near Daniels, indicates similar snowpack conditions.
This
advisory is made possible through a generous grant provided by Utah State Parks
and will be available for the rest of the winter on weekends and holidays.
Today
is Saturday, April 5, 2003, and it’s 7:30 in the morning.
Current Conditions:
April showers bring spring powder!
This morning light snow is falling, temperatures are in the low teens at 10,000’,
and winds are out of the southeast at speeds of 10-20 mph with higher gusts at
the more exposed locations. Snow totals from the mid-week storm are pretty
evenly distributed throughout the range, settling out to around a foot in the
upper elevation terrain. Yesterday the new snow was getting a little damp and
sticky down low and I was finding the open terrain above timberline to be a bit
wind damaged. However, on sheltered mid and upper elevation northerly aspects,
mid winter powder riding and skiing conditions can be found.
Avalanche Conditions:
The new snow we received from
the Wednesday storm event was ushered in with relatively warm temperatures and
bonded quite well at all elevations to the old, hard existing crusts. At mid
and lower elevations there was very little wind associated with this storm and
the biggest concern today on steep, wind-sheltered slopes is the possibility of
sluffing within this new snow. These are usually benign events unless one of
these sluffs gains enough force behind it to carry you over a cliff or into a
terrain trap such as a gully.
At higher elevations above
timberline, the winds have been a little more pronounced creating soft slabs on
the leeward side of ridges and terrain features such as chutes and gullies.
While pockety and shallow in nature there are plenty of hard, slick bed surfaces
out there for these avalanches to run on and once initiated they could take you
for a fast, body bruising ride. Be aware that winds are forecast to increase
later in the day and these slabs could become more sensitive and widespread by
days end.
.
Bottom Line:
Above timberline the
avalanche danger is MODERATE today on any steep slope with recent deposits of wind
drifted snow. With increasing winds on tap, I’d expect the avalanche danger to
rise by late in the day.
At mid and lower elevations
the avalanche danger is generally LOW, though there is a MODERATE
danger of loose snow sluffs on slopes approaching 40 degrees in
steepness.
Mountain Weather:
Another round of snow is
expected for the region throughout the weekend. Today we should see snow
showers with accumulations in the 2”-4” range. Temperatures will remain cool
with highs at 10,000’ in the upper teens and at 8,000’ near 25 degrees.
Overnight lows will be near 18 degrees. Winds will be out of the southeast at
speeds of 10-20 mph
this morning with higher gusts
possible along the upper elevation ridges. This afternoon the wind should shift
to the northwest bringing in colder air and stronger wind speed averages.
Sunday looks to be unsettled and cold. It should start to dry out on Monday
with a strong warming trend developing midweek.
General Information:
If you’re getting out and
about please let us know what you’re seeing, especially if you see or trigger
an avalanche. Call 1-800-662-4140, or 801-231-2170, or email to [email protected] or fax to 801-524-6301.
Your observations could help to save someone’s life. I’ve received some great
observations this past week and thanks to those of you who called in with
timely snowpack and avalanche information. Please keep them coming!
We will be offering free
snowmobile specific avalanche education this year. To schedule a talk and or a
field day please call 801-231-2170.
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 a.m. on Sunday, April 6, 2003.
Thanks for calling