SATURDay, February 19, 2000


Good morning.  This is Evelyn Lees with the Forest Service Utah
Avalanche Forecast Center with your backcountry avalanche and mountain
weather advisory.  Today is Saturday, February 19, at 7:30 in the
morning.  This forecast is sponsored by a generous donation to the
Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center by Patagonia.  Check out
their Presidents Day sale now running through February 22nd. They are
located at 3267 S. Highland Dr.



Current Conditions:

Under clear skies, temperatures this morning are near 10 degrees along
the upper ridgelines, and near twenty at 8,000.  Winds are from the
west, averaging 15 to 25 mph with gusts into the low 30s.  Thursdays
little storm put down 3 to 6 (8 Snowbasin) of light fluff over the
denser snow and crusts, making turning conditions good to excellent on
shady slopes.  Most sunny slopes will have breakable crust this
morning, and will be mushy by noon.  Skin wax or paraffin could be the
ticket today to prevent snow build up.


Avalanche Conditions:

Even though the mountains received 3 to 5 feet of snow and strong
winds during the last week, avalanche conditions have been remarkably
quiet the last few days.  Many unstable slopes slid during the storms,
and those that didnt have mostly adjusted to the weight of the new
snow.  Still, there are a few snow problems to be aware of as you
travel in the backcountry today.


Warmer temperatures today and strong sun will make loose wet snow
sluffs and slides a certainty on sunlit slopes.  Stay off of and out
from underneath steep sunny slopes as the snow becomes mushy.  Steep,
shady slopes will have dry snow sluffs today.  The greatest hazard
from both these wet and dry sluffs will be being taken for a ride off
cliffs or into trees, or burial in a terrain trap such as a gully.


Last nights winds may have created a few shallow drifts of soft slabs
along upper ridges on northerly and easterly facing slopes, which a
person could trigger on a steep slope.


Finally, older hard slabs of about 4 feet in thickness still persist
at mid and upper elevations.  These dangerous hard slabs could be
human triggered on steep slopes, especially by snowmobilers high
marking.  While there are only a few isolated places where a person
could trigger a deeper slide, the consequences of doing so are very
serious.  The most likely place to trigger one of these hard slabs
would be on upper elevation north and east facing slopes, in areas
that have had a thinner snow pack most of the winter, such as the
Provo, Ogden, Park City and Uinta mountains.


Bottom line:

Today there is a localized or MODERATE danger of human triggered
avalanches on slopes steeper than 35 degrees.  Most activity will be
shallow sluffs and soft slabs, but a few deeper releases are
possible.  Naturally occurring shallow wet slides will occur by late
morning on sunny slopes.


Weather:

A high pressure ridge over Utah today will bring clear skies and
warmer temperatures.  Highs today will be in the low to mid 20s along
the higher ridges, and in the upper 30s at 8,000.  Winds should shift
to the southwest, and decrease to less than 15 mph.  Tonight,
increasing clouds ahead of a weakening shortwave that will bring a
chance of light snow Sunday afternoon and night.  Lows tonight will be
15 to 20 at 8,000.  Southwesterly wind speeds will increase tonight
and tomorrow.  More significant snow is possible Monday into Tuesday.


Wasatch Powderbird:

Wasatch Powderbird Guides will fly in Cardiff, Mineral, and Days Forks
today.  For more information on WPG plans call 801-742-2812 or
521-6040, ext. 5280.


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.


Ethan Greene will update this advisory by 7:30 on Sunday morning.