The avalanche danger is HIGH on upper-elevation slopes, where it is very likely that you will trigger a new or wind-drifted snow avalanche failing on one of many buried weak layers within the snowpack. These avalanches will be deep enough to bury, injure, or kill a person. Here, traveling in avalanche terrain is NOT recommended. All other areas have a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger.
Strong winds have and will continue to create sensitive wind drifts on all aspects at the mid and upper-elevations. Cornices have grown large and may break further from ridgelines than expected. On northerly facing slopes any avalanche involving wind-drifted snow may step down to a buried persistent weak layer.
Our snowpack is a junk show! It's time to back off. Four weak layers are now buried in the snowpack.
1. November / December faceted snow near the ground.
2. Slopes that previously avalanched (repeaters).
3. Late January faceted snow.
4. Another buried crust where Greg was finding it failing on both sides.
Avalanches can break on a variety of layers, and it's hard to determine which layer they will fail on. In any case, avalanches are large enough to bury, injure, or kill a person.
It continues to snow, and as it does, we can expect to see avalanches fail in density changes within the new snow or at the old/new snow interface that in some cases has faceted snow in play. Dry-loose avalanches will also be on the rise as the storm gets colder throughout the day.
One avalanche was reported yesterday from Rodeo Ridge (pic below). This avalanche was 14 inches deep, and because of the light, Bill Brandt couldn't see how wide it was. It sounds like this was a slab of wind-drifted snow. Greg Gagne was also on Rodeo Ridge, and you can find all the Ogden-specific observations HERE. Ski areas also reported sensitive slabs of wind-blown snow.
Within 24 hours, we've picked up another 5-10 inches of new snow (0.30-0.90 inches of water). Since Friday, we've seen 20-40 inches of new snow (1.80-4.44 inches of water). Current mountain temperatures range from 20-33 °F. Across upper-elevation terrain, the wind is blowing from the west and northwest, averaging 10-15 mph with gusts into the 20s.
Today, the flow will continue from the west and northwest, and we will see periods of snowfall throughout the day. This could bring an additional 2-7 inches of new snow by this evening. Temperatures will climb into the upper 20s °F.
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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
