SunDay, February 27, 2000


Good morning.  This is Jeff Brown with the Forest Service Utah
Avalanche Forecast Center with your backcountry avalanche and mountain
weather advisory.  Today is Sunday, February 27, and its 7:30 in the
morning.  This forecast is sponsored by a generous donation to the
Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center by  the Evolution Ski
Company. Evolution has a variety of ski and snowboarding equipment to
choose from, they are located at 1435 S. State Street in SLC.



Current Conditions:

Temperatures overnight were in the low 20s at 10,000 and upper 20s at
8,000. This is about 15 degrees warmer than 24 hours ago. The winds
backed off and were in the upper teens to low 20mph range in the
central Wasatch and slightly higher in the Ogden area mountains
generally out of the South.


Turning conditions yesterday were pretty good in all areas except
where wind affected and trail breaking conditions ranged from not bad
to tough depending on where you went. Some of the lower southerly
slopes did warm up quite a bit yesterday and the surface snow
thickened up. These slopes may have crusted up overnight.


Avalanche Conditions:

The snow seems to have settled out nicely and things have stabilized
very quickly. There were no reports yesterday on whoomping or cracking
nor were there any reports of any new avalanche activity; although,
there was quite a bit of avalanche activity during the storm.


Explosives utilized by the resorts did not produce anything
significant avalanche wise. Results seemed to be isolated to pockets
of wind drifted snow. There were several reports of sensitive
cornices, but when they dropped they did not produce any avalanches.


Some ventured into the steeper terrain; although, most avoided those
steeper slopes that have recent deposits of wind drifted snow.


Overcast skies and warmer temperatures today might create
greenhousing, warm temperatures, on most aspects today and if the sun
were to come out I would expect wet snow avalanches on those steeper
southerly facing slopes particularly those near and beneath rocky
slopes and cliffs.


Bottom line:

Today the avalanche danger is Moderate on slopes with recent deposits
of wind drifted snow steeper than 35 degrees. A moderate rating means
that natural avalanches are unlikely and that human triggered
avalanches are possible. There is a generally Low hazard every where
else. If the forecasted high winds develop today the hazard will rise,
particularly on those slopes that will quickly receive new deposits of
wind drifted snow.


Weather:

Clouds and winds will increase today with the winds getting into the
35-45 mph range out of the southwest. Temperatures will moderate today
and approach 40 at 8,000 and the mid-20s at 10,000. Clouds will move
in today in advance of tonights storm with snow beginning later this
evening and continuing through late tomorrow. Storm totals in the 6-10
range are expected.


The next storm is scheduled for Tuesday into Wednesday and should be a
little bigger than tonights.


Wasatch Powderbird:

Wasatch Powderbird Guides will be flying today in Dry Fork, Snake
Creek, Mineral Basin, Mary Ellen and on Sandy Baker Peak.  They cannot
fly in the Tri-Canyon area on Sundays and Mondays. 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.


I will update this advisory by 7:30 on Monday morning.