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Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Nikki Champion
Issued by Nikki Champion on
Saturday morning, April 12, 2025
Avalanche danger is LOW this morning but will quickly rise to MODERATE with daytime heating. Wet loose avalanches, and possibly isolated wet slabs, will become more likely on sun-exposed slopes facing west through north through east, as well as on lower and mid-elevation northerly aspects. This is a timing issue: as the snow softens, instability increases. Travel early, watch for signs of warming, and avoid steep slopes once the surface becomes wet and unsupportable.
Cornices may collapse naturally and could trigger avalanches on the slopes below. Roof avalanches remain a hazard in mountain communities—keep people and pets clear of steep, snow-loaded roofs.
Glide avalanches continue to pose a serious and unpredictable risk. Avoid known glide paths entirely.
Be prepared to adjust your tour plan based on real-time conditions and observations in the field.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Special Announcements
Motorized Users—Please consider taking this 5-minute survey to help researchers better understand avalanche education participation and safety preparedness. Responses are anonymous and confidential.
Our regular daily avalanche forecasts will end this Sunday, April 13. After that, we will issue updates when necessary and publish public observations until May 1.
Weather and Snow
This Morning, skies are partly cloudy and temperatures are in the mid-40s °F. Winds are gusting up to 40 mph along some upper-elevation ridgelines, with the highest peaks and ridgelines seeing gusts near 60 mph.
Today, expect mostly sunny and very warm conditions, with upper-elevation temperatures climbing into the mid-50s and low 60s°F and even warmer temps below. Winds will come from the west-southwest and remain elevated ahead of an approaching front—averaging 10–20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph near upper-elevation ridgelines, and gusts reaching 65 mph along the highest peaks. Strong southwest winds this morning are a sign of the incoming dry cold front, expected to move through around midday. After it passes, winds will shift to the west and gradually taper off through the afternoon. Some additional moisture will follow behind the front, bringing the potential for scattered showers this evening and overnight.
Even with such warm overnight temps, the partly cloud skies and elevated winds likely helped create a superficial refreeze this morning. Yesterday, while traveling near Patsy Marly, there was some supportable snow in the morning, but that window closed by 11 a.m.—earlier at lower elevations. Today’s window for supportable snow will likely follow a similar pattern. The stronger winds may help keep the surface slightly cooler, but increased cloud cover could also trap heat and shorten that window due to a bit of a greenhouse effect.
The final Week in Review is now available. I hope you’ve found this weekly product useful throughout the season and that it’s become a regular part of your planning.
Recent Avalanches
A few small wet loose avalanches were reported by ski patrol on south-facing terrain.
See the recent avalanche list HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
The April sun is strong, and we’ve had several nights without a solid refreeze. Regardless of wind, expect wet loose avalanches, and sloppy, unsupportable snow on east, south, and west aspects—as well as lower and mid-elevation north-facing slopes.
Larger wet slab avalanches are becoming more likely with each day of warm temperatures. There are still a few layers in the snowpack where water can pool, increasing the potential for deeper, more destructive avalanches—even if the exact timing is hard to pin down.
Glide avalanches remain a concern in known problem areas like Stairs Gulch, Broads Fork, Mill B South, and upper Porter Fork. These full-depth releases are unpredictable and often unsurvivable—best to stay out of that terrain altogether. Cornices may break naturally and trigger slides below. Roof avalanches—where a roof sheds its snowpack—remain a serious objective hazard in mountain communities. Never let children play beneath steep, snow-loaded roofs. A fatal roof avalanche occurred as recently as April 2023 in Brighton Township, where an adult was likely working beneath a roof when it slid.
Bottom line: Get out early and get home early. When the snow turns wet and unsupportable, it’s time to change aspects or call it a day. Rollerballs, wet sluffs, and collapsing cornices are all signs that things are heating up. Even small slides can be dangerous in steep terrain, so plan your exits and stay alert.
Example of roller ball and low coverage travel
General Announcements
This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.
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