Forecast for the Provo Area Mountains

Drew Hardesty
Issued by Drew Hardesty for
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
The avalanche danger is LOW. Although avalanches are unlikely, watch for small avalanches in isolated areas, including
- pockets of wind-drifted snow at the upper elevations 6-10" thick;
- sluffing in the loose snow on steep and sustained aspects.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow
Under the cold moon, skies are clear (ain't it a shame).
Mountain temperatures are in the teens. Winds remain from the northwest, blowing 15-20mph. The highest anemometers are spinning 20-25mph with gusts to 30.

Mid and high level clouds will accompany the weakest of warm fronts today. Winds will blow 20-25mph from the northwest. Mountain temperatures will rise to the upper 20s. I don't expect to see much -if any- precipitation, though a touch of rime wouldn't be out of the question.
The Outlook: Winds finally start to lose steam tonight with a warming trend on tap through the rest of the week. The weather models depict a few weak disturbances down the road that seem to lack much aim or direction. We'll see.
In the meantime, travel is easy, and skiing and riding conditions are quite good in sun and wind sheltered terrain.
Recent Avalanches
None reported from the Provo mountains, although ski areas and backcountry riders were able to trigger shallow soft slabs 6-12" thick in steep wind drifted terrain. Slow but long running loose snow avalanches could also be triggered in the more wind protected terrain.
Ad
Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
The relentless north to northwest winds continue to transport snow, primarily along the highest elevation ridgelines. Here, you may encounter shallow pockets of wind blown snow. Out of the wind, it may be possible to trigger shallow sluffs of loose snow in steep, confined terrain.
Additional Information
What happened to the Persistent Weak Layer (PWL) problem? The PWL problem first appeared in the December 1 forecast and was removed from the forecast on Wednesday, December 20. On Thursday, December 21, forecasters Nikki Champion and Greg Gagne talked about the PWL problem over a Zoom call and their 5-minute discussion. Be sure to watch the video.
General Announcements
This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. 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.