Skies are clear. As of 5AM, temps are in the upper 20s to mid 30s. Winds are blowing from the west, blowing 20-30mph with gusts to 40. A ridge of high pressure parked off the California coast shields us from the storms, pushing them into Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. But at least we'll see wind.
For today, we'll have mostly sunny skies with some high cirrus floating through. Winds will remain moderate to strong from the northwest; temps will rise to the upper-30s up high, the upper 40s down low. Riding conditions: sun, temperature, and wind crusts dominate the landscape. With proper timing, you'll find soft and creamy corn skiing on solar aspects. With improper timing, you'll find scary and teeth-rattling slide-for-life conditions on the frozen crusts on the early side and unsupportable glop and wet sluff potential on the late side.
The Outlook: A STRONG cold front crashes through on Saturday, plunging temperatures to the low single digits, but alas it's a mostly dry cold front. We may see 1-3" if we're lucky. Spring rebounds next week and (read this slowly...) indeed it does look as if the sun - yes, our sun - touches down mid-week (GFS weather model below) as mountain temperatures soar into the 50s up high with little to no refreeze. Side note - there is a better than even chance that valley temps exceed 80°F on Wednesday. According to the NWS, this would smash the record for the earliest 80°F day in Salt Lake City, with the previous record earliest 80°F day occurring on March 31st.
Wet loose avalanches were noted in steep solar terrain prior to Tuesday night's cold front.
