Too Much of a Good Thing

I am once again out of town and once again the Steenburgh Effect is in full force.

Yes, you can say that it snowed plenty while I was back in Salt Lake through yesterday morning, but the water equivalent rates have gone through the roof since I left.  Note the steeper slope of the current storm after I departed compared to the prior one when I was in town.

Source: MesoWest

Coincidence?  I think not.

Of course that is entirely unscientific. It is mere coincidence I'm out of town, but sometimes I wonder...

The snow overnight is also of high density, resulting in upside down snow.  That, and the addition of wind and further weight on weak layers that developed before the prior storm, is pushing the snowpack to the breaking point.

The Utah Avalanche Center has issued a backcountry avalanche warning for the mountains of northern Utah, including the Wasatch.

And, as I write this, Little Cottonwood Canyon is closed at Alta is interlodged.  Expected highway opening is 1 PM.

More snow is coming as the front moves through later today.  This is the epitome of too much of a good thing.  If I could play God, we'd spread these storms out more.

Addendum @ 10:45 AM:

Jan23 Little Cottonwood 6:45am LCC CLOSED - Multiple Avalanches on the ROAD - Extended Cleanup Est. Opening Time 1:00 PM #utsnow

— UPD Canyon Alerts (@CanyonAlerts) January 23, 2017