Uintas Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Craig Gordon

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Sunday April 3rd will be the last of our regularly scheduled advisories for the season.

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BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

The danger for wet avalanches on steep, mid and low elevation sun exposed slopes will increase from Level 1 (LOW) this morning to Level 2 (MODERATE) with daytime heating. Human triggered avalanches will be possible, especially during the heat of the day. With heating, cornices may become more tender, so be sure to steer clear of these huge overhanging boxcars.

Our deep slab issue hasn't gone away and in general a Level 2 (MODERATE) avalanche danger associated with this persistent problem child exists. While not widespread, the danger is most pronounced on steep, rocky, mid and upper elevation, north facing slopes where you can still trigger an avalanche that breaks to the January raincrust. While the chances of triggering a deep slab avalanche are isolated, the consequences are very severe.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

A nice looking storm is headed our way and we should begin to feel its impact late this afternoon. In the mean time though, skies are clear, temperatures in the upper 30’s and mid 40’s, and southerly winds are averaging 30 mph with gusts in the mid 50’s along the highest ridges. Riding and turning conditions are a mixed bag, but between the molar rattling hard frozen tracks, there are still patches of soft creamy powder on high elevation, north facing slopes.


RECENT ACTIVITY

Like clockwork, as the day heated up yesterday we got to watch loose, sun induced sluffs cascade off the hanging snowfields of Reid’s Peak and Bald Mountain. Getting clobbered by one of these would definitely ruin your day.

Click here for recent observations from around the range.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

With a marginal overnight refreeze wet avalanches are going to be today’s most obvious avalanche concern. The balance of strong winds and increasing cloud cover may negate some of this danger, however if you find yourself sinking into manky, unsupportable mush, then you know it’s time to get off of and out from under any steep slope. You’ll also want to avoid terrain traps like creek bottoms, gullies, and road cuts. There’s also a possibility that today’s storm will start out as rain and that will help make matters worse, especially at lower elevations in steep, rocky terrain. Of course when it’s raining, it’s best to call it a day, swap some lies, and tell your friends how great the riding was.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

The snowpack is amazingly deep and the Uinta’s are about as white and fat as it gets. With solid snow for travel, folks are getting into some radically steep terrain without incident and that’s the good news. While our deeper instability issues seem to have quieted down a bit, they may become cranky and reactive as the snowpack transitions to a spring-like pack. Deep slabs are an elusive avalanche dragon because the snow feels so strong underneath us. While difficult to trigger and harder yet to predict, I’d still be suspicious of steep, rocky, north facing terrain at mid and upper elevations.


THREAT #3

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

Cornices remain huge and unpredictable, breaking much further back than you might expect. You’ll want to steer clear of these monsters and remember that a big piece of cornice crashing down on the slope below can in turn awaken some of our deeply buried weak layers, resulting in a large scary slide.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Clouds, wind, and temperatures will be on the increase today as a powerful Pacific storm system begins to bear down on the region. Southerly winds increase throughout the day, gusting into the 60’s by late afternoon. High temperatures reach into the low to mid 50’s. Light rain may fall prior to the front arriving in the early evening, then it rapidly turns to heavy snow. We can expect temperatures to crash into the mid teens as winds shift to the northwest this evening behind the cold front. A good shot of moisture will deliver a foot of snow in terrain favored by a northwest flow. Snow showers are expected to linger Sunday before high pressure builds for early in the week.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Sunday, Apr.3rd, 2011.

If you’re getting out and about and trigger an avalanche or see anything interesting please let us know here. Or drop Craig an email : craig@utahavalanchecenter.org or call 801-231-2170

The western Uinta advisory program is going full tilt and forecasts will be issued by 7:00 AM on Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday and all holidays.


This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done.  This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.


This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.