Join the UAC at Deer Valley on January 30th for the 2nd Annual Blizzard Ball Gala. Former Director of the Utah Avalanche Center, Bruce Tremper will deliver the keynote address.

Under clear skies, temperatures have climbed above zero for the first time in a while, with most trailheads ranging between 10–15°F. Upper-elevation weather stations are still in the single digits. Winds are coming from the northwest, averaging in the teens, with gusts into the 40s at mid-elevations and gusts into the 50s at upper elevations. Peak winds exceeded 60 mph over the last 24 hours.

Today, expect mostly clear skies with temperatures rising into the mid-20s °F. Winds at mid-elevations will be from the west-northwest at around 15 mph, gusting up to 25 mph. At upper elevations, winds will continue from the northwest, sustained at 30 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, tapering throughout the day.

Even with extremely cold air temperatures, some south- and west-facing aspects may develop a slight melt-freeze crust just below the surface. In most locations, this won't affect sliding conditions, but it’s a unique occurrence and worth noting if still present before our next storm. Drew also mentioned some near-surface faceting in his observation from the Ben Lomond area. This is similar to what I observed yesterday along Sloth Ridge, although the near-surface faceting doesn’t seem completely widespread yet, as it was not noted along Rodeo Ridge.