AVALANCHE WARNING »
Dangerous avalanche conditions are occuring or are imminent.
Backcountry travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
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Notice: An Avalanche Warning remains in effect for the Western Uinta Mountains. Strong winds, coupled with dense, heavy snow has created a HIGH avalanche danger and human triggered avalanches are very likely. Backcountry travel is not recommended. |
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT |
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BOTTOM LINE
Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)
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Danger Rose Tutorial
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A Level 4 (HIGH) avalanche danger exists. Deep, dangerous, unsurvivable human triggered avalanches are very likely, especially on steep wind drifted slopes facing the north half of the compass. At and above treeline in the wind zone, pockets of Level 5 (EXTREME) danger will be found. Historically large, human triggered, tree snapping avalanches are certain on steep, wind loaded slopes.
Slopes facing the south half of the compass at mid and low elevations that had no snow prior to the big storm offer Level 1 (LOW) avalanche danger. |
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CURRENT CONDITIONS |
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And then it was winter. Light snow continues to fall and temperatures are in the mid teens. Storm totals are impressive and pretty evenly dispersed throughout the range with 16” in the past 24 hours. Winds switched to the west-northwest yesterday at 5:00 pm. and have been blowing 25-30 mph since. |
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RECENT ACTIVITY |
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Visibility was ridiculously poor yesterday, but reports of road cuts avalanching and huge, booming collapses were the norm.Ted reported the loudest collaspe he's ever heard on the east side of the range.
Click here for a report of a monster slide we triggered Friday near Mill Hollow.
Click here for recent observations. |
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THREAT #1 |
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PROBABILITY |
SIZE |
TREND |
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Over the next
24 hours.
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This video pretty much sums up what's going on with our snowpack.
Winds raged for most of Saturday, averaging 40 mph with gusts in the 60’s and 70’s along the ridges. Given the amount of new snow and water, coupled with strong winds I suspect the region experienced a pretty widespread natural avalanche cycle late yesterday. Slopes that didn’t avalanche now wait for a trigger. The avalanche danger is pretty straight-forward and I’ll keep it simple. If you trigger a slide today, chances are it will be deep, dangerous, and unsurvivable. Avalanches can be triggered from a distance, on low angle terrain, and in the trees where we usually go to ride in conditions like this. Today you need to avoid being on, near, or under any steep wind drifted slope. |
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MOUNTAIN WEATHER |
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Snow tapers off early this morning as the storm moves east. West and northwest winds back off into the 15-25 mph range. Temperatures climb into the mid 20’s before dipping into the teens overnight. Light snow is expected tonight and then a splitting storm system moves across the region late Monday into Tuesday morning. This brings a round of light snow to the area. Partly cloudy skies with warming temperatures are on tap for Tuesday afternoon through the latter half of the week. |
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GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS |
The information in this advisory expires 24 hours after the date and time posted, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Monday, January 23rd.
If you’re getting out and about and trigger an avalanche or see anything interesting please drop me an email at
craig@utahavalanchecenter.org
or call 801-231-2170 |
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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. |
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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. |
