I must have been reading Shakespeare when I first came across the term Deus Ex Machina. Loosely translated from the Latin, it means God Out of the Machine. It refers to a plot twist at the end of a play where the hero is saved against impossible odds. I pictured a backstage helper with a pulley and winch lowering a God out from above to provide deliverance. Not long ago, a friend fell through the ice on the Great Salt Lake while attempting to rescue her dog. Every attempt to get out of the 38 degree water onto the thin ice resulted in failure. I pictured steel double-hulled …

The Anatomy of an Avalanche Forecast Every day we go into the mountains, we need to be aware of the current avalanche hazards in order to come home safe at the end of the day. As an avalanche center, we strive to give the most accurate avalanche forecast to YOU every single day during the riding season. So what variables about snow and weather are included in these daily forecasts, and what can they tell us about avalanche hazards? The avalanche forecast includes these main components: Danger Rating: The avalanche danger scale is used by avalanche forecasters to relay the …

(February 25th slide in Neffs, pc-Meadows) For upper Little Cottonwood Canyon, January was the third driest on record. February was the driest on record. Records go back to the winter of 1944/1945. This long period of high pressure weakened the upper layers of the snowpack into facets: weak, sugary, cohesionless snow. In many areas, this layer would become 15-25cm thick. We knew this would become a problem when we finally receive significant storms. Unfortunately, snowfall has only arrived in dribs and drabs with no 12-hour snow …

Our Week in Review highlights significant snowfall, weather, and avalanche events of the prior week. (Review the archived forecasts for the Salt Lake mountains.) The danger roses for the Salt Lake mountains from Friday, February 25 through Thursday, March 3: Summary: Clear and dry with very warm temperatures by midweek. Several avalanches on northerly aspects, failing 1-2' down into old faceted snow that formed during the January/February drought. Friday, February 25: 1-4" of cold, dry snow is squeezed out of the remnants of a storm system. Several …

Our Week in Review highlights significant snowfall, weather, and avalanche events of the prior week. (Review the archived forecasts for the Salt Lake mountains.) The danger roses for the Salt Lake mountains from Friday, February 18 through Thursday, February 24: Summary: Clear skies early in the period with increasing winds and clouds by late weekend. Unsettled weather throughout the week with a few wind events and 12-16" total snowfall. By Tuesday, avalanches breaking down into faceted snow on the old snow surface are reported. The following video from …

Our Week in Review highlights significant snowfall, weather, and avalanche events of the prior week. (Review the archived forecasts for the Salt Lake mountains.) The danger roses for the Salt Lake mountains from Friday, February 11 through Thursday, February 17: Summary: The January/February drought continued, with warm temperatures and sunshine early in the week. A small storm late Wednesday delivered much-needed snow to the central Wasatch. Friday, February 11: Clear skies and strong winds with gusts approaching 100 mph at 11,000'. No backcountry …

Our Week in Review highlights significant snowfall, weather, and avalanche events of the prior week. (Review the archived forecasts for the Salt Lake mountains.) The danger roses for the Salt Lake mountains from Friday, February 4 through Thursday, February 10: Summary: Generally clear throughout the past week with a few passing clouds and a few periods of moderate to strong winds from the northwest. A few general observations: - Shady slopes continue to develop facets at the surface which will likely be a weak layer with any additional storms; …