Tuesday - February 26, 2008 - 8:36 am

SUMMARY >>>

The avalanche danger rating will be all over the place today depending
on your aspect, elevation and timing.  A LOW avalanche danger can be
found on most slopes out of the wind affected terrain before about 9
this morning.  By then the avalanche danger will start to rise on
southerly facing slopes to MODERATE and may reach CONSIDERABLE as the
day goes on.  Expect natural avalanching on slopes facing the sun.  A
MODERATE danger exists for lingering pockets formed from winds over the
last 48 hours along the upper elevation ridges.
Forecaster: Brett 

CURRENT CONDITIONS >>>

If you're reading this report from your house right now and you're
planning on getting into the mountains, you're late!!  Drop what you're
doing and get out there before the snow turns to junk and starts
sliding.  Temperatures were cold overnight in the low teens but that
won't last long.  Winds really dropped off over the last 6 hours and
are just averaging 10 to 15 mph along the higher ridges.  Snowfall from
the last 24 hours was generally 4 to 8 inches which fell mostly during
the day on Monday.

RECENT AVALANCHES AND SNOWPACK INFO >>>

Observations from the backcountry on Monday included no natural
avalanche activity, lots of sluffing on steeper slopes, numerous human
triggered pockets along the ridges within the new snow and one human
triggered avalanche that broke 2 feet deep and 100 feet wide.  A number
of observers including myself noted collapsing of stiffer wind slabs as
well as some collapsing of a thin melt freeze crust.  UDOT avalanche
control work produced many class 2 avalanches in Little Cottonwood with
none quite reaching the road.  On the flip side, many folks had no
problem finding areas with mostly stable snow and excellent conditions.

AVALANCHE CONCERNS >>>

Heat induced avalanche activity is the focus for today.  Temperatures
will get warm but not outrageous.  However, with new snow at this time
of the year it's not so much a function of what the thermometer reads
but more importantly how much direct solar radiation will happen.  The
sun was hidden for the most part on Monday so today will be the new
snow's first encounter with the sun which is always the most active
day.  Careful route selections will be the key as the day goes on.
Think about where you will exit this afternoon.  You may not want to be
coming back down a southerly facing slope or out a steep walled lower
elevation gully this later today.  Easterly facing slopes may heat
faster then you anticipate also.  

Lingering pockets along the upper ridgelines also warrant a mention for
today.  While most of these have been stabilizing over the last 24
hours, warmer ambient air temperatures today may be enough to affect
their stability.  Slope cuts should be used in excess along the ridges.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER >>>

We'll see partly cloudy skies today with maybe some convective clouds
bubbling up.  Temperatures will get into the mid to upper 30s at 8000
feet and near 30 along the higher ridges.  Winds will remain light for
the most part from the west northwest.  Expect slightly warmer
temperatures on Wednesday.