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

friday DECEMber 24, 2004

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. Today is Friday, December 24, 2004 and it’s 7:30 a.m.

Announcements:

We have installed a weather station in the Moffit Peak area. Click here to see temperatures and wind data.

Many thanks go out to the Utah Snowmobile Association and BRORA for their generous contributions.

For recent avalanche photos click here.

Current Conditions:

A slow but steady warming trend is underway and temperatures are already 10 degrees warmer than yesterday at this time. We’re finally out of negative territory. At the trailheads temperatures are just climbing out of the single digits and along the ridges it’s about 4 degrees. Winds are out of the east and northeast at speeds of 15-25 mph making for a wind chill of –12 degrees at the highest elevations. The mid week “storm” deposited 4”-6” of light density snow, helping to freshen up the riding and turning conditions. It’s amazing what a little bit of new snow and sunshine can do and as a matter it’s pretty good out there right now.

Avalanche Conditions:

Winds picked up late yesterday afternoon and have been blowing steadily through the night, generally out of the east and northeast. Average wind speeds have been in the 20’s with gusts in the mid 30’s at the most exposed locations. There’s enough new, light density snow to blow around and form sensitive wind drifts along the leeward side of ridges and that’s going to be today’s main concern. The new wind drifts will be at least a foot deep, though they’ll be confined mostly to the upper elevations. Take care one of these slabs doesn’t surprise you and knock you off your skis or machine.

My other concern today is the old hard slab formed by the storm two weeks ago, which sits on top of the weak November facets. While this slab is becoming better behaved over time, I still think with the right combination you could trigger a deeper avalanche. While this is more the exception than the rule the usual suspects are steep, rocky slopes, with a shallow, weak snowpack.

Bottom Line:

The avalanche danger is generally LOW today on most slopes at mid and lower elevations.

Above timberline the avalanche danger is MODERATE today on slopes steeper than 35 degrees with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Human triggered avalanches are possible.

There are isolated areas at upper elevations where you could still trigger a deeper avalanche, especially on steep rocky slopes, with a shallow weak snowpack. In this type of terrain the avalanche danger remains MODERATE.

Mountain Weather:

A strong northerly flow will remain over the area as a ridge builds over the western states. Today we should see partly cloudy skies and warming temperatures. Highs at 8,000’ will be in the upper 20’s and at 10,000’ near 23 degrees. Overnight lows will be in the low 20’s. Winds will be strong and northerly this morning, blowing at speeds of 15-30 mph along the ridges and should be dying down around midday. The weekend looks like it’ll be mostly sunny and warmer with highs getting into the lower 30’s. Looking into the weather crystal ball… a change in the dry pattern should occur around midweek with a series of lows starting to affect the region. While it’s still a long ways out, it looks like a wetter pattern for the New Year!

General Information:

We’re interested in what you’re seeing especially if you observe or trigger an avalanche. Call 1-800-662-4140, or 801-231-2170, or email to [email protected] or fax to 801-524-6301 and fill us in with all the details.

If you’d like to schedule a free snowmobile specific avalanche 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 Saturday Dec. 25, 2004.

Thanks for calling!