Forecast for the Moab Area Mountains
Issued by Eric Trenbeath on
Saturday morning, April 17, 2021
Saturday morning, April 17, 2021
An overproducing storm brought 10" or more of new snow to the mountains Thursday night. Human-triggered loose snow sluffs and cohesive soft slabs within the new snow remain possible on steep slopes on all aspects today. Approach steep terrain with caution and utilize test slopes to see how the snow is behaving. Look for signs of instability such as cracking in the snow surface or fracturing soft slabs. Increasing winds this afternoon and tonight will blow and drift snow increasing the likelihood of human-triggered wind slab avalanches. Look for unstable drifts to form on the leeward sides of ridge crests and terrain features in upper elevation, wind exposed terrain. And finally, with a strong sun and warmer temps on Sunday, look for an increasing danger for loose, wet avalanches within the most recent snow. Signs of instability include rollerballs and pinwheels. Get off of and out from under steep slopes when they become wet and sloppy.
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