25th Annual Black Diamond Fall Fundraising Party
Thursday, September 13; 6:00-10:00 PM; Black Diamond Parking Lot
- About
- Advisories
- Education
- Detailed Info
- Blog
- Weather
- Events
- Store
- Donate
Avalanche Advisory
| Advisory: Salt Lake Area Mountains | Issued by Evelyn Lees for Sunday - February 26, 2017 - 6:29am |
|---|
|
bottom line The avalanche danger is mostly LOW this morning, but will quickly increase to MODERATE as winds pick up this afternoon, and could reach CONSIDERABLE along the highest ridge lines by evening. Once the fresh wind drifts start to form, stay off of and out from under steep wind drifted slopes. Finish your powder day on wind-sheltered slopes.
|
 |
special announcement The CAIC finished their report on the recent snowbike fatality. It's a story worth reading. It was a complex situation, with 3 separate avalanches occurring. A take home is they had airbags and didn't think they needed beacons. A beacon, probe, and shovel are still essential gear, even with an air bag. |
 |
current conditions You can squeeze in one more epic morning of powder, before increasing winds this afternoon spike the avalanche danger. Skies mostly clear this morning, and temperatures powder-preserving cold – from 5 below to 10 above zero. The winds cooperated, remaining light overnight, with most stations averaging less than 10 mph from the southwest. Speeds across the highest 11,000’ peaks increased for a few hours during the night, averaging 30 to 35 mph, with occasional gusts to 45 mph. |
 |
recent activity Yesterday, people were able to trigger sluffs in the backcountry, but they needed steeper slope angles for the snow to get moving. The resorts reported both soft slabs and sluffs, mostly requiring explosives, and they were generally small. In the windier Ogden area mountains, a few shallow soft slabs were reported from backcountry and resort control work, especially along the higher ridge lines. A fresh, new wind slab cracking and breaking on approach yesterday. Brian Smith photo
|
Avalanche Problem 1
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
|---|
|
|
LIKELIHOOD
 LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
 LARGE
SMALL
TREND
 INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
|
|
description
The overnight bump in wind speeds created a few new soft wind drifts along the highest ridges and peaks that will be easy to trigger this morning. But once the winds pick up this afternoon, the low-density snow will swiftly form sensitive drifts. The timing for the southwesterly winds to increase is by 2 or 3 pm at the latest, so be ready for rapidly changing conditions, especially at the upper elevations. Keep an eye out for plumes off the peaks and ridges, drifting where you are, or your tracks filling in. Once the winds pick up where you are, get off steep slopes and avoid the terrain below the blowing snow, as natural avalanches could occur. Head to wind sheltered terrain to finish your day – by going to a different aspect or dropping to a lower elevation. |
Avalanche Problem 2
| type | aspect/elevation | characteristics |
|---|
|
|
LIKELIHOOD
 LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
 LARGE
SMALL
TREND
 INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
|
|
description
Loose Dry Sluffs Dry, loose sluffs can still be triggered today on steep slopes. In continuously steep terrain, a sluff can take you for a ride and debris piles could end up deep enough to bury a person in a terrain trap. Careful slope cuts can keep the sluffs below you instead of above. Loose Wet Sluffs Sun and warmer temperatures may heat the snow, making it easier to trigger sluffs. If the snow becomes warm and sensitive, avoid the steep sunny slopes and head to a different aspect or lower angle terrain. The snow on lower elevation shady slopes may also warm if we get just the right amount of high thin clouds. Cornices “It is difficult to tell where the earth ends and the snow starts” (Brian Smith). So stay well back from the edges of those large cornices and avoid travel beneath them. |
 |
weather The next cold snow producer will arrive tonight. Ahead, high pressure this morning will bring mostly clear skies and light winds, with temperatures warming to near 10 at 10,000’ and into the mid 20s at 8000’. Changes will start early this afternoon – with the southwesterly winds increasing, and averaging 15 to 20 mph, with gusts to 25 at the mid elevations by evening. The highest peaks could average 35 mph, with gusts to 50. Snow will develop late tonight and continue at times through Tuesday, with 8 to 16” possible. A rapid warming trend on Thursday and Friday will end the cold |
general announcements
|