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

sunday march 27, 2005

Good morning and happy Easter! 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 Sunday, March 27, 2005 and it’s 7:00 a.m.

Announcements:

A beacon-training center has been installed at the Nobletts trailhead and “Beacon Basin” up and running!
Many thanks go out to Backcountry Access for supplying all the equipment, Doug Page and all the 
volunteers who provided manpower, Jim Conway who was the brains behind the operation, and the
Kamas and Heber Ranger Districts, along with State Parks and The Utah Snowmobile Association
for their in-kind support. Swing by and check it out before going on the snow. It’s free and within walking 
distance from the parking lot.
 
The Moffit Peak weather station is back in operation. This site was made possible through generous donations
from BRORA, The Utah Snowmobile Association, and the National Weather Service. You can view data by clicking here.

For recent avalanche photos click here.

Current Conditions:

Under clear skies and a full moon, temperatures are a bit inverted this morning. For instance, it’s in the mid teens at 8,000’ and in the mid 20’s at 11,000’. Anyway you look at it, temperatures are at least 10 to 15 degrees warmer than yesterday at this time. This is all due to a developing southwest flow, which will usher our next storm in. Currently though, winds are still out of the north at speeds of 15-25 mph along the ridges. The surface snow got quite damp yesterday and on all but the high north facing slopes you’ll find a variety of breakable crusts this morning.

Avalanche Conditions:

It was an active day in the backcountry yesterday and just like clockwork at about noon the snow became quite damp and plenty of natural wet avalanches occurred on steep, sunny slopes. In addition, it looks like a number of steep northerly facing slopes slid naturally during storm cycle and a few of these broke into old snow. In theory the wet activity should start to mellow out today, but with increasing temperatures I think we’re still in for another round of wet sluffs and possibly wet slabs. Increasing cloud cover will probably help to greenhouse the snow even at the higher elevations; so don’t become complacent today even if the sun hides behind a thin veil of clouds. Remember it’s nearly April and the sun is quite strong. It would be a good day to follow the usual spring protocol of getting on the snow early in the day. Before it starts getting damp and sloppy head for a cooler aspect or just pack it in and head for home.

Bottom Line:

The avalanche danger is MODERATE this morning on upper elevation slopes, especially those that are steeper than about 35 degrees with recent deposits of wind drifted snow. Human triggered avalanches are possible.

The avalanche danger may rise to CONSIDERABLE later in the day in this type of terrain with daytime heating. Remember a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger means human triggered avalanches are probable and natural avalanches are possible.

At low and mid elevations the avalanche danger is generally LOW this morning and may rise to MODERATE with daytime heating on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees.

Mountain Weather:

A winter storm watch is in effect for late tonight through Monday night. For today we should see mostly sunny skies, much warmer temperatures, and strong southwesterly winds developing by the afternoon. High temperatures at 10,000’ will be in the low to mid 30’s and at 8,000’ near 45 degrees. Overnight lows will only dip into the upper 20’s. Winds will be switching to the west during the day blowing 15-25 mph along the ridges. Gusts should get stronger by about sunset when the wind shifts to the southwest. This evening will be windy with snow developing sometime early Monday morning. A good shot of snow is expected throughout the day and into Monday night with probably about a foot of new snow. A break in the action is forecast for Tuesday morning followed by more snow Tuesday night into Wednesday.

General Information:

We’re interested in 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 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 Wednesday Mar.30, 2005.

Thanks for calling!