Western Weather 2010-14

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Snowbird's SnowCam is looking a little bit better this morning:

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Update from Bruce Tremper at the Utah Avalanche Center:

Our winter has officially started with nearly 3 feet of total snow at upper elevations in the Salt Lake area mountains. From the few reports I have, it seemed to come in dense and right-side-up, just the way we like it. Usually there are not many problems with the first snowfall of the season because it falls on bare ground, which bonds well. But with more snow expected this weekend, we may start having increased avalanche activity.
We are not funded to begin work until November 1st, when our full staff returns and we will start issuing intermittent afternoon updates. We will switch to our normal morning schedule when the snowstorms and avalanche conditions decide it's time.
In the mean time, remember that avalanche accidents often occur in the early season. Ski areas are not yet doing avalanche control and you should consider them to be backcountry terrain where you will need to follow standard backcountry protocol such as going one at at time, don't jump in above another person, carry rescue gear and have at least basic avalanche education.
This is a good time to put fresh batteries in your beacon, practice in your back yard and brush up on your avalanche skills with the Know Before You Go video Part 1, and Part 2, websites or books.
We are slowly adding avalanche classes to our Education Page as they get scheduled. We don't have funding to begin avalanche work until the first week of November, so you will have to be patient.
Be sure to check out upcoming events on our home page such as the upcoming Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop at the Depot on Saturday, November 6th. It is an afternoon of continuing education for advanced amateurs.
Finally, If you are getting out, you have the opportunity to contribute to your own avalanche center by filling out the observation form on our home page, send an email to uac@utahavalanchecenter.org or leave a message on our answer machine at 801-524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140.
I will likely update this information again on Friday.
Thanks.
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URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SALT LAKE CITY UT
342 PM MDT SAT NOV 6 2010

...TURNING COLDER WITH HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...

.THE WARM AND DRY HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN THIS
PAST WEEK HAS MOVED OFF TO THE EAST. THIS SHIFT WILL ALLOW A SERIES
OF INCREASINGLY COLDER PACIFIC SYSTEM TO DROP INTO UTAH FROM THE
NORTHWEST DURING THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PORTIONS OF THE COMING WEEK.
THE FIRST SYSTEM WILL REACH THE AREA LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...AND WILL
AFFECT THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS THROUGH TUESDAY. THE SECOND PACIFIC
STORM SYSTEM WILL FOLLOW FOR LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

UTZ007>009-070500-
/O.NEW.KSLC.WS.A.0009.101108T0600Z-101110T0000Z/
WASATCH MOUNTAINS I-80 NORTH-WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80-
WESTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WOODRUFF...RANDOLPH...ALTA...BRIGHTON...
HANNA
342 PM MDT SAT NOV 6 2010

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SALT LAKE CITY HAS ISSUED A
WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING
THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* AFFECTED AREA: THE WASATCH MOUNTAIN RANGE AND THE WESTERN UINTA
RANGE IN NORTHERN UTAH

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: ACCUMULATIONS OF 15 TO 30 INCHES ARE EXPECTED
WITH THE HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS ALONG THE WEST SLOPES OF THE
WASATCH RANGE EAST OF THE OGDEN AND SALT LAKE CITY AREAS

* TIMING: THE FIRST OF TWO STORM SYSTEM WILL REACH THE THE WASATCH
RANGE LATE SUNDAY NIGHT. THIS STORM WILL REACH THE WESTERN
UINTAS BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING.

* SNOW LEVELS: SNOW LEVELS NEAR 9000 FEET LATE SUNDAY EVENING WILL
LOWER TO NEAR 8000 FEET BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. SNOW LEVELS
WILL DROP RAPIDLY MONDAY MORNING.

* WINDS: STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS IN THE 30 TO 40 MPH
RANGE AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL SHIFT TO NORTHWEST AND
GRADUALLY DECREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY.

* IMPACTS: MANY HIGH ELEVATION PASSES REMAIN OPEN AT THIS TIME. A
NUMBER OF THESE ROADWAYS WILL BE CLOSED BY THE HEAVY SNOW. THE
REMAINING ROADWAYS WILL HAVE SEVERE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS DUE TO
THE HEAVY SNOW AND WIND.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A MIXTURE OF
SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
LATEST FORECASTS.
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In an AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION at 10:05 a.m. today the National Weather Service":1te02hmh said:
.SYNOPSIS...THE FIRST OF TWO PACIFIC STORM SYSTEMS WILL CONTINUE TO
IMPACT UTAH TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. THE SECOND...SOMEWHAT WEAKER
SYSTEM WILL REACH UTAH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...AND REMAIN OVER THE AREA
THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT PRECIPITATION RATES ACROSS THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS THIS MORNING. SOME SITES ALREADY REPORTING CLOSE TO AN
INCH OF WATER. ALTHOUGH SNOWFALL HAS NOT BEEN THAT SIGNIFICANT THUS
FAR...THE COMBINATION OF FALLING SNOW LEVELS...DECREASING SNOW
DENSITY AND INCREASING DYNAMICS SHOULD RESULT IN MORE SIGNIFICANT
SNOW RATES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...PARTICULARLY IN THE
COTTONWOODS. WILL UPGRADE THE ADVISORY IN THIS ZONE TO A
WARNING.
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UTZ008-090100-
/O.UPG.KSLC.WW.Y.0034.000000T0000Z-101109T1900Z/
/O.NEW.KSLC.WS.W.0012.101108T1724Z-101109T1900Z/
WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALTA...BRIGHTON
1024 AM MST MON NOV 8 2010

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON MST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SALT LAKE CITY HAS ISSUED A
WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL NOON MST TUESDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR
SNOW IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* AFFECTED AREA: THE SOUTHERN WASATCH MOUNTAINS.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: ACCUMULATIONS OF 14 TO 22 INCHES ARE
EXPECTED...WITH LOCALLY GREATER AMOUNTS ALONG THE WEST FACING
SLOPES OF WASATCH MOUNTAINS EAST OF THE SALT LAKE CITY AREA.

* TIMING: SNOW...LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES...WILL CONTINUE INTO THE
EVENING HOURS. SNOW SHOWERS WILL LINGER INTO TUESDAY
MORNING...THEN RAPIDLY DECREASE DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS.

* SNOW LEVELS: SNOW LEVELS NEAR 7000 FEET LATE THIS MORNING WILL
DROP DRAMATICALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON BEHIND A COLD FRONT.

* IMPACTS: MANY HIGH ELEVATION PASSES REMAIN OPEN AT THIS TIME. A
NUMBER OF THESE ROADWAYS WILL LIKELY BE CLOSED BY THE HEAVY
SNOW.
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Well, according to the Utah Avalanche Center, LCC picked up a foot out of this system but it's very dense, 20% graupel and is letting go all over the place. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning this morning with another 12-20 forecast for up there tonight into Tuesday morning with greater amounts in those areas favored by NW flow (i.e., LCC). Good start to the season!
 
sounds like the sierras are slated to get the strongest november storm in the last 8 years. NWS is calling prelim estimates of 2-5 feet possible.
 
snowboard247":37p5qmha said:
sounds like the sierras are slated to get the strongest november storm in the last 8 years. NWS is calling prelim estimates of 2-5 feet possible.
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Most impressive. When's that storm forecast to move in?
 
Admin":2waza71o said:
snowboard247":2waza71o said:
sounds like the sierras are slated to get the strongest november storm in the last 8 years. NWS is calling prelim estimates of 2-5 feet possible.
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Most impressive. When's that storm forecast to move in?
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http://mammothweather.com/ says starting Friday, with the main hit getting going Sunday night into Monday.
 
Also calling for rediculiously low snow levels this time of the year 3000-4000ft. Anybody driving up the 395 will be in for a treat.
 
Where'd you see 5 ft at? 8-[

Sunday night is when I was considering coming up. hoping for no spillover in the Owens Valley. =;
 
Not sure this qualifies for forecast weather, but Colo has picked up decent amounts over the past week - over 3 feet in some cases (though 2 feet is more typical so far). Natural snow terrain is just now starting to open up with all the snow. Of course that's mostly the central & northern mtns in colo. Looking good in this neck of the woods.
 
EMSC":2m6vsmgd said:
Not sure this qualifies for forecast weather, but Colo has picked up decent amounts over the past week - over 3 feet in some cases (though 2 feet is more typical so far). Natural snow terrain is just now starting to open up with all the snow. Of course that's mostly the central & northern mtns in colo. Looking good in this neck of the woods.
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Keystone is reportedly dropping ropes left and right today.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]
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Admin":2p0fn4xj said:
EMSC":2p0fn4xj said:
Not sure this qualifies for forecast weather, but Colo has picked up decent amounts over the past week - over 3 feet in some cases (though 2 feet is more typical so far). Natural snow terrain is just now starting to open up with all the snow. Of course that's mostly the central & northern mtns in colo. Looking good in this neck of the woods.
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Keystone is reportedly dropping ropes left and right today.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]
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That would make sense. They do have a lot of low angle blues and greens.
 
Storming here as well, but unfortunately it comes with wind this time, too. mbaydala reports everything at Brighton is currently on wind hold.
 
EMSC":1e0nnz0j said:
Not sure this qualifies for forecast weather, but Colo has picked up decent amounts over the past week - over 3 feet in some cases (though 2 feet is more typical so far). Natural snow terrain is just now starting to open up with all the snow. Of course that's mostly the central & northern mtns in colo. Looking good in this neck of the woods.
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WOW. Another 10-20" in 24hrs over this way with most places in the middle of that range. Though the roads in the mtns have been a mess with many, perhaps most, of the mtn passes closed for decent stretches of time yesterday. Heck even the Eldo web cam looks like it's gotten enough for natural snow trails...
 
I forget where I bumped into this link back a number of years ago. If you want to see a VERY big-picture view of the US weather wise...

threats.gif
 
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