Wasatch Cache and Uinta National Forests

In partnership with: Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, Utah State Parks, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center,

Tri-City Performance, Polaris, the Utah Snowmobile Association, the National Weather Service, BRORA, and Backcountry Access.

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Avalanche advisory

sundAY april 9, 2006

This advisory expires 24 hours from the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:30 am wednesday april 12, 2006.  Sunday April 16th will be the last of my regularly scheduled advisories.

 

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 Sunday April 9, 2006 and it’s 7:00 a.m. Avalanche advisories for the western Uintas are available on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and all holidays.

This advisory covers the terrain from Daniels Summit, to Mirror Lake, to the North Slope of the western Uinta Mountains. That’s a lot of turf and I can’t be in all of these places at once. Your snow and avalanche observations are critical to this program and help to save other riders lives by getting accurate information out to the public. I’m interested in what you’re seeing especially if you see or trigger an avalanche. Please call 1-800-662-4140, or 801-231-2170, or email to [email protected] and fill us in with all the details. 

 

Current Conditions:

A warm southerly flow is over the area and even under mostly clear skies last night, temperatures barely dipped below freezing. At 8,000’ the overnight low and current temperature is 34 degrees, it’s 31 degrees at 9,100’ and 27 degrees at 11,000’. Winds are westerly, blowing 10-25 mph along the ridges. No new snow has fallen in the past 24 hours and the snow conditions are a mixed bag at best. I suspect most slopes are supportable this morning, but the eggshell crusts formed overnight won’t last long today, especially at low and mid elevations. At upper elevations I still found patches of cold powder yesterday above about 10,200’ and that’s going to be the ticket again today.

 

Avalanche Conditions:

Spring… what an amazing time of year. One day it’s dumping three inches an hour, the winds are howling and your face is frozen. The next day the storm is in Kansas, the sun is blazing and you feel like an ant under a magnifying glass. While I was out and about yesterday, it was apparent the region had gone through a pretty significant avalanche cycle during the storm Thursday, but for now the snow is pretty much glued in place. Fortunately for us, warm temperatures help new storm snow instabilities settle out rather quickly this time of year. However, I also noticed yesterday’s gusty southerly winds found what little snow there was available for transport and whipped up a fresh batch of wind drifts on high elevation, northerly facing slopes. Though not widespread, I think you could trigger one of these dry snow drifts today, especially if your travels take you into steep, high elevation north facing terrain. Also, southwest winds are expected to increase later today and slabs may become deeper and more sensitive as the day wares on.

The other avalanche problem will be wet snow slides. With the combination of a marginal overnight refreeze, light winds this morning and warming temperatures I’m concerned that today’s wet activity may be more widespread than in days past. Remember- it’s not only south facing terrain that’s getting baked by the strong sunshine, nearly all slopes are feeling its effects. The best rule of thumb this time of year is to get off of and out from under steep sunny slopes as daytime temperatures rise. In addition, avoid terrain traps such as gullies and steep road cuts.  

Finally, cornices have grown large and sensitive, forming in some unusual places and breaking further back than you’d think.

 

Bottom Line:

In upper elevation terrain near and above tree-line, the avalanche danger is MODERATE today on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees, especially those with both old and new deposits of wind drifted snow. Human triggered avalanches are possible.

The danger of wet, loose slides is MODERATE this morning and depending on cloud cover and winds, the danger may rise to CONSIDERABLE with daytime heating. A CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger means human triggered avalanches are probable, natural avalanche possible.

 

Mountain Weather: 

A weak cold front headed our way will bring us increasing south winds, mild temperatures and partly cloudy skies by late afternoon. Highs at 8,000’ will be in the low 50’s and at 10,000’ near 40 degrees. Overnight lows will be close to freezing. South and southwest winds will be gusty this afternoon, blowing 20-35 mph along the high ridges. The next storm system will gradually work its way into the region Monday and Monday night with a cold front sliding through the area Tuesday. It doesn’t look like a big storm, perhaps 6” or so. Warm and dry weather returns for mid week and another bigger storm possible for next weekend.

 

Announcements:

 
If any terms confuse you, take a look at our new avalanche encyclopedia.
 
“Beacon Basin” is good to go and ready to use at the Noblett’s Trailhead.  While you’re waiting for your partners 
to gear up, swing by and test your avalanche beacon skills. It’s free and easily accessible from the parking lot. A big thanks 
goes out to members of the Utah Snowmobile Association for assisting in the installation and to Backcountry Access for 
providing all the gear. 
 
A special thanks to Tri-City Performance, Polaris and The Utah Snowmobile Association for stepping up to the plate 
and partnering to provide a new sled for the Utah Avalanche Center’s western Uinta avalanche forecasting program. 
 
The Moffit Peak weather station is up and running. This site was made possible through generous donations
by BRORA, The Utah Snowmobile Association, and the National Weather Service. You can view data by clicking here.

 

For avalanche photos click here.

 

General Information: 

If you haven’t taken one of our free snowmobile specific avalanche awareness classes, schedule one now before things get too crazy. Give me a call at 801-231-2170 and I’d be happy to tailor a talk for your group.

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.

This advisory expires 24 hours from the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:30 am on Wednesday April 12, 2006.

Thanks for calling!