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Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Nikki Champion
Issued by Nikki Champion on
Thursday morning, October 16, 2025

Welcome to the start of the 2025–2026 winter season!

Another wet storm on the books. As of 9 a.m. this morning, many areas have already picked up 5–8" of snow and about 0.50–0.70" of snow water equivalent. This is now the wettest October since records began in 1874, and we still have more than two weeks to go before the month’s end.

Thanks for checking the forecast! Stay tuned for updates as conditions change. Regular forecasts and danger ratings typically kick off in late November or early December.

And remember, once there’s snow on the ground, avalanche season has begun. If there’s enough snow to ski or ride, there’s enough snow to slide. As you start getting out on your skis or board, don’t forget to review the uphill policies at different resorts.

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements

SAVE THE DATES!

Saturday, November 1 - 18th Annual Professional Snow and Avalanche Workshop (PROSAW). The in-person session will be held at the Eccles Center Park City. 1750 Kearns Blvd, Park City, UT 84060. - Information and tickets are available here.

Saturday, December 6 - 18th Annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop (USAW). This session will be held in-person at the Wasatch Jr High School Auditorium. 3750 S 3100 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84109. Information and tickets are available here.

Weather and Snow

As of 9 a.m., it's still raining down low and snowing up high. Snow totals are sitting between 4 and 8 inches, with under an inch of water. Upper Little Cottonwood is currently seeing the most. Moisture should keep pushing through until mid-afternoon, with another 1 to 3 inches possible in favored zones.

These early run of storms could lay down our first weak layer of the season, though it's too early to lose sleep over that. As you start heading out, pay attention to where the snow melts and where it sticks. Any snow that hangs on could turn into a problem layer for future avalanches.

For now, it’s barely worth dusting off the skis or board, hiking boots will do just fine. Snowpack across the Wasatch is still under 10 inches, and the main hazard is hitting rocks and other ground debris.

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Additional Information

It's never too early to start thinking about avalanches. Here are a few things to consider doing:

  • Learn online. We have over 5 hours of free online learning at the Know Before You Go website
  • Check out the upcoming in-person Know Before You Go events HERE
  • Sign up for an on-snow class
  • Check out the UAC's education progression HERE
  • Get your avalanche rescue gear ready for winter. Put fresh batteries in your transceiver and update the firmware. Inspect your shovel and probe. Get your airbag backpack ready by possibly doing a test deployment and updating the firmware if it is an electric version or getting your canister refilled if it's not electronic.
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