Forecast: Provo Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Provo Area Mountains

Issued by Greg Gagne on
Friday morning, April 14, 2023

The avalanche danger is Low.

The two avalanche problems to watch for are (1) cornices along exposed ridgelines at the mid and upper elevations, and (2) glide avalanches in terrain with glide cracks. You also may find low elevation snowpacks haven't yet had a deeper freeze and there may still be wet, unconsolidated snow underneath a shallow refreeze.

Slide-for-life conditions (where you are unable to arrest after falling) are possible on the smooth and frozen snow surface.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Special Announcements

The final UAC report for the Upper Weber Canyon avalanche accident on March 9 has been published and is available HERE. The UAC would like to thank Park City Powder Cats for sharing information about the timeline of the accident and allowing UAC staff access to the avalanche after the incident.

Weather and Snow

This Morning: After nearly four days of above-freezing temperatures, yesterday's cold front brought much-needed colder air and temperatures are now well-below freezing, with most mountain locations in the teens F. Winds are from the west/northwest and light, less than 10 mph, with 11,000' wind speeds gusting in the teens and low 20's mph. Skies are partly-cloudy. The temperature graph below from the Arrowhead weather station at 8,200' shows the drop in temperatures with the arrival of colder air.

Today: Partly-cloudy skies with a chance for light snow showers this afternoon. Temperatures will be in the 20's and low 30's F and the west/northwest winds will be light through the mid elevations, gusting into the 20's mph along the highest ridges and summits.

This Weekend: Stronger winds overnight and into Saturday with mostly sunny skies and a warming trend that may provide decent corn conditions by late this weekend. A chance for light snow by midweek.

Recent Avalanches

No reports of avalanches on Thursday.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Huge cornices will be found along most exposed ridgelines at the mid and upper elevations. Although today's cold temperatures may make these cornices less sensitive, it is still possible to have a cornice collapse beneath you when traveling along a corniced ridgeline, and natural cornice falls are also possible. Any cornice that breaks will consist of Subaru-sized frozen chunks of snow that you do not want to be involved with.

Drew Hardesty has written about avalanche fatalities in the modern era in Utah and reports there have been six avalanche fatalities in Utah since 1940 due to cornice falls.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Glide avalanches are extremely dangerous and destructive as the entire season's snowpack avalanches to the ground. One full depth glide avalanche on the Raymond Slabs in Porter Fork of Mill Creek released Tuesday. Because of how much snow we have had this season, I would keep an eye out for glide avalanches in zones that don't normally see glide cracks, like Elk Point on Timpanogos. Glide cracks - as shown in the photo below - are an indication of possible glide avalanches.

Today's colder temperatures do not help minimize glide avalanches as liquid water has already greased the smooth, rocky bed surfaces.

We have had two accidents (including a fatality) with glide avalanches in the past 22 years:

April 28, 2001

Feb 10, 2013

General Announcements

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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.

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