Forecast for the Abajos Area Mountains

Dave Garcia
Issued by Dave Garcia for
Thursday, April 6, 2023
Spring has finally arrived in Southeast Utah. The snow on solar aspects will heat up quickly today. Backcountry travelers need to be alert to changing conditions and signs of wet avalanche activity.
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Weather and Snow
NWS forecast for the Abajo Mountains.
Snow totals and temps at Buckboard Flat (8924')
Snow totals and temps at Camp Jackson (8858')

Snowpack Summary and General Conditions
The Abajo range picked up 4-6 inches of low density snow from Tuesday's storm. During the storm, fresh unstable slabs of wind drifted snow formed in upper elevation terrain on Northerly aspects. Backcountry travelers should be on the lookout for fat, round looking deposits of wind drifted snow up high.
Strong April sunshine will be out in full force, and temperatures are on the rise. Spring time in Southeast Utah means wet avalanche activity. You can safely ski or ride solar aspects early in the day. As the day warms up, the strategy is to move to shady Northerly facing slopes. Roller-balls and pinwheels are indicators that it is time to get off the sunny slopes. Saturated snow is another red flag of wet avalanche activity.
Additional Information
If you are getting out in the backcountry, we'd love to hear what you're seeing. Please submit observations here. For the most recent snowpack observations click here. You can also send an email to [email protected] or give me a call with anything noteworthy, especially avalanches! 801-647-8896
General Announcements
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.