BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)

Danger Rose Tutorial

Overall, there is a MODERATE danger in the backcountry, meaning dangerous avalanche conditions exist in some terrain features. The danger of wet avalanches on steep slopes will rise with midday warming. Triggered wet avalanches could become likely on slopes approaching or steeper than around 40 degrees with saturated or isothermal snow, and pockets with a CONSIDERABLE danger may develop on some mid and low elevation slopes...

Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully and continue to use good travel habits....

CURRENT CONDITIONS

Considering the season, we've still got great snow coverage in the region. With 94 inches of total snow on the ground, the Tony Grove Snotel reports 107% of average water content for the date. The meltdown resumed in earnest in the past couple days, and you'll find saturated and isothermal snow on most slopes at lower and mid elevations today.

RECENT ACTIVITY

Backcountry skiers near Snowbasin triggered a couple sizable wet slabs on Saturday at lower elevations.

Locally, I triggered a couple wet sluffs in Cherry Canyon in the Mount Naomi Wilderness on a steep west-southwest facing slope at around 7500'. (4-12-09 PHOTOS).

THREAT #1

WHERE

PROBABILITY

SIZE

TREND

Over the next 24 hours.

With very slushy, isothermal snow on many slopes in the region and another poor overnight freeze, I am concerned that we're likely to trigger dangerous wet avalanches in very steep areas today. The danger will rise once again with midday heating and will be most pronounced in sheltered terrain. Cloud cover and winds may diminish the threat a bit by this evening, but greenhousing may well also play a role.

If you start sinking into deep slushy snow, its time to reevaluate and move off of and out from under steep slopes. You should also continue to avoid the large local cornices, especially during the melting faze...

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Expect mild mountain temperatures, with 9000' elevation high temperatures forecast in the mid forties...Increasing clouds and a southwest wind ahead of the next springtime Pacific storm. The National Weather Service in Salt Lake City has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the mountains in our region for Tuesday through Thursday, and we can expect a good chance of significant accumulations at upper elevations.. Rain is a good bet at lower and mid elevations on Tuesday, which could make the wet avalanche situation worse.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our "Know before You Go" video is available online..... (click HERE to watch it)

Please let us know what you're seeing in the backcountry, especially if you see or trigger an avalanche, by leaving us a message at (435-)755-3638 or 1-800-662-4140. Or, you can always e-mail us at uac@utahavalanchecenter.org . . Your observations are very important for our program.....

The Utah Avalanche Center depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.

I will be issuing intermittent and weekend advisories through the rest of April..... I will update this advisory by about 7:30 on Friday morning...

This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.