Utah Avalanche Center
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February 1, 2007 - 10:10 am Today, wind drifted slopes steeper than about 35 degrees have a MODERATE avalanche danger. Sluffs and shallow soft wind drifts will become increasing easy to trigger later today, especially on easterly facing slopes. Out of the wind affected terrain and on slopes less steep than about 35 degrees, the avalanche danger is generally LOW.
Evelyn Lees
Links: Avalanche List Photos Profile List Weather Links Encyclopedia Under partly cloudy skies, a few snowflakes are falling in the mountains this morning and temperatures are in the icy single digits. Snow totals from yesterdays little disturbance were in the 2 to 6 range, with densities of 3 to 4%. While this freshened up the slopes underlain with soft facets, it was also just enough snow to cover and hide numerous rocks and stump hazards. Statistically, January of 2007 was obviously a month to forget and we can only hope February will be better.
And yes, its true; the combination of smog and no snow does eat away your brain!
Yesterday, the light winds made mischief with the few inches of snow, blowing it into soft sensitive drifts. People in the Salt Lake and Ogden mountains were able to trigger a few of these very soft drifts, 8 to 12 deep, 20 to 25 wide, on north through easterly facing slopes. These slides turned into sluffs as they ran and lacked any sort of real punch. The weak layer is the old snow surface, which is almost uniformly faceted snow of some sort, including a lot of surface hoar.
24 Hrs Today, with increasing winds moving more snow and an additional 3 to 6 possible by evening, expect similar sensitive sluffs and soft slabs where ever the wind has drifted the snow. The drifts will be most widespread on northeast, east and southeasterly facing slopes, but watch for crossloading and drifting at a variety of elevations and aspects. Some of the weakest old snow is on the protected, shady mid elevation terrain. Most of the new snow drifts and sluffs will be small, and easily handled by careful ski and slope cuts. But do be cautious and increasingly careful as the snow and wind increases today. Work the terrain carefully, so you dont get surprised and pushed off a cliff or dumped into a gully and covered. The old snow surface is so weak, that a few natural soft slabs may be possible later today or tonight in heavily wind drifted areas, so avoid travel beneath steep, wind loaded slopes.
A cold storm system dropping south out of Canada will impact northern Utah today through this evening. The first band of clouds currently over the area is rapidly moving southward, and we may get a bit of a break this morning. But clouds will rapidly increase late morning, with snow developing by noon north of I-80 and by early afternoon to the south of I-80. The heaviest snowfall should be late this afternoon into this evening. 3 to 6 of snow is possible today, and another 3 to 6 again tonight, before the snow ends toward midnight. This will be very cold, low density snow, with a water equivalent of only about ½ expected. Winds will remain from the northwest today and tonight, in the 10 to 20 mph range, with gusts in the mid 20s. Wind speeds will increase this afternoon and tonight, with 20 to 30mph averages across the highest ridges, with gusts near 50. Then high pressure will move in for the weekend, with a strong warming trend early next week.
Yesterday, the Wasatch Powderbird Guides did not fly, and today if they can get out they will be in Cardiff, Silver, Days, Mineral and White Pine. With questions regarding their areas of operation call 742-2800.
Today is the last day to purchase tickets for this Fridays fundraiser dinner at The Canyons with guest speaker Olympic Gold Medal Winner Jim Shea, which our partners, the Friends of the UAC, are hosting. For tickets and information visit www.UtahAvalancheCenter.com Two other fundraisers by our partners, the Friends of the UAC, are a half day avalanche class at the Canyons this Saturday and Sunday, February 3rd and 4th. (for more information and to register, call 435-615-3325) and finally, at 7:30 on February 8th, there will be a Teton Skiing documentary at Brewvies. Details are below, or for more information
Listen to the advisory. Try our new streaming audio or podcastsUDOT highway avalanche control work information can be found HERE or by calling (801) 975-4838.
Our new, state wide tollfree hotline is 1-888-999-4019.(For early morning detailed avalanche activity report hit option 8)For a list of avalanche classes, click HEREFor our classic text advisory click HERE.To sign up for automated e-mails of our graphical advisory click HEREWe appreciate any snowpack and avalanche observations you have, so please leave us a message at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at uac@avalanche.org. (Fax 801-524-6301)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.Bruce Tremper will update this advisory by 7:30 on Friday morning, and thanks for calling.
This advisory provided by the Wasatch Cache National Forest, in partnership with:
Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and Salt Lake County
DISCLAIMER: Above is information on each factor affecting todays' danger rating. All factors must be considered to develop a backcountry travel plan that will reduce your risk.
The post was created using an automated process maintained by First Tracks! Online.
Evelyn Lees
Links: Avalanche List Photos Profile List Weather Links Encyclopedia Under partly cloudy skies, a few snowflakes are falling in the mountains this morning and temperatures are in the icy single digits. Snow totals from yesterdays little disturbance were in the 2 to 6 range, with densities of 3 to 4%. While this freshened up the slopes underlain with soft facets, it was also just enough snow to cover and hide numerous rocks and stump hazards. Statistically, January of 2007 was obviously a month to forget and we can only hope February will be better.
And yes, its true; the combination of smog and no snow does eat away your brain!
Yesterday, the light winds made mischief with the few inches of snow, blowing it into soft sensitive drifts. People in the Salt Lake and Ogden mountains were able to trigger a few of these very soft drifts, 8 to 12 deep, 20 to 25 wide, on north through easterly facing slopes. These slides turned into sluffs as they ran and lacked any sort of real punch. The weak layer is the old snow surface, which is almost uniformly faceted snow of some sort, including a lot of surface hoar.
24 Hrs Today, with increasing winds moving more snow and an additional 3 to 6 possible by evening, expect similar sensitive sluffs and soft slabs where ever the wind has drifted the snow. The drifts will be most widespread on northeast, east and southeasterly facing slopes, but watch for crossloading and drifting at a variety of elevations and aspects. Some of the weakest old snow is on the protected, shady mid elevation terrain. Most of the new snow drifts and sluffs will be small, and easily handled by careful ski and slope cuts. But do be cautious and increasingly careful as the snow and wind increases today. Work the terrain carefully, so you dont get surprised and pushed off a cliff or dumped into a gully and covered. The old snow surface is so weak, that a few natural soft slabs may be possible later today or tonight in heavily wind drifted areas, so avoid travel beneath steep, wind loaded slopes.
A cold storm system dropping south out of Canada will impact northern Utah today through this evening. The first band of clouds currently over the area is rapidly moving southward, and we may get a bit of a break this morning. But clouds will rapidly increase late morning, with snow developing by noon north of I-80 and by early afternoon to the south of I-80. The heaviest snowfall should be late this afternoon into this evening. 3 to 6 of snow is possible today, and another 3 to 6 again tonight, before the snow ends toward midnight. This will be very cold, low density snow, with a water equivalent of only about ½ expected. Winds will remain from the northwest today and tonight, in the 10 to 20 mph range, with gusts in the mid 20s. Wind speeds will increase this afternoon and tonight, with 20 to 30mph averages across the highest ridges, with gusts near 50. Then high pressure will move in for the weekend, with a strong warming trend early next week.
Yesterday, the Wasatch Powderbird Guides did not fly, and today if they can get out they will be in Cardiff, Silver, Days, Mineral and White Pine. With questions regarding their areas of operation call 742-2800.
Today is the last day to purchase tickets for this Fridays fundraiser dinner at The Canyons with guest speaker Olympic Gold Medal Winner Jim Shea, which our partners, the Friends of the UAC, are hosting. For tickets and information visit www.UtahAvalancheCenter.com Two other fundraisers by our partners, the Friends of the UAC, are a half day avalanche class at the Canyons this Saturday and Sunday, February 3rd and 4th. (for more information and to register, call 435-615-3325) and finally, at 7:30 on February 8th, there will be a Teton Skiing documentary at Brewvies. Details are below, or for more information
Listen to the advisory. Try our new streaming audio or podcastsUDOT highway avalanche control work information can be found HERE or by calling (801) 975-4838.
Our new, state wide tollfree hotline is 1-888-999-4019.(For early morning detailed avalanche activity report hit option 8)For a list of avalanche classes, click HEREFor our classic text advisory click HERE.To sign up for automated e-mails of our graphical advisory click HEREWe appreciate any snowpack and avalanche observations you have, so please leave us a message at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at uac@avalanche.org. (Fax 801-524-6301)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.Bruce Tremper will update this advisory by 7:30 on Friday morning, and thanks for calling.
This advisory provided by the Wasatch Cache National Forest, in partnership with:
Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security and Salt Lake County
DISCLAIMER: Above is information on each factor affecting todays' danger rating. All factors must be considered to develop a backcountry travel plan that will reduce your risk.
The post was created using an automated process maintained by First Tracks! Online.