Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center

US Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest

Introduction:

Good morning! This is Max Forgensi with the USFS Manti-La Sal Avalanche Center with your avalanche and mountain weather advisory for the Wasatch Plateau/Manti Skyline Region, including but not limited to Fairview and Huntington Canyons. This advisory is brought to you through a partnership of the US Forest Service and Utah State Parks. Today is Sunday, December 14th, 2003 at 7:30 a.m.

Mountain Weather:

Did everybody have fun yesterday? Lets do it again today! Currently there is 17” at the Mammoth/Cottonwood SNOTEL site and the temperature is 26 degrees.

Today: Windy. Highs @ 8,000’ in the mid thirties. Winds will blow out of the Southwest at 15-25 mph and increasing to 20-30 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight: WINTER STORM WARNING. Windy. Blowing and drifting snow. Accumulations 5”-12”. Northwest winds 25-35 mph. Low 10-15.

Monday: Colder and windy. Highs near 20. Winds out of the Northwest at 20-30 mph decreasing to 15-25 in the afternoon.

General Conditions:

What a difference a week makes. The new snow definitely helped out with our coverage, although in some places the sage is still poking out. The road is snow packed in spots and a bit slick. And remember, this is still the early season. Be weary of obstacles buried just under the surface of the snow.

Avalanche Conditions:

I have two concerns for today and into tomorrow which go hand in hand. The wind and that pesky snow type called graupel. All that powder you enjoyed yesterday is available to transport today and tonight, depositing wind slabs and creating cornices on leeward slopes. The wind slabs could potentially develop on the graupel layer, which acts as ball bearings and doesn’t bond very well with old snow layers. Observers report no cracking or whoomphing noises, although the newly developed cornices are tender and easy to kick off. The back country danger for today is going to be MODERATE on wind loaded slopes (N-SE) greater than 35 degrees and also in areas that have developed large cornices. Be careful on and around cornices! The overall back country danger rating is going to be LOW. With heavy snow expected tonight, look for the back country danger to increase during and after the storm.

Safety Tip of the Day:

Have you been practicing with your avalanche beacon lately? Do you have fresh batteries in your beacon? Do you need some help getting comfortable with your beacon? On Saturday, December 20^th, there will be an avalanche beacon workshop at the Millers Flat Trailhead at high noon. Everyone is welcome, and there will be an array of beacons to try out!

Public Announcements:

We have some great classes coming your way in January! And we just set one up in Ephraim in February! Take a look at our Education link on the main page. If you want to schedule a free avalanche awareness class for your snowmobile club, please call us at 435.636.3363 or leave an email at mforgensi@fs.fed.us.