UDOT PLANNED AVALANCHE CLOSURES!!

Forecast for the Provo Area Mountains

Drew Hardesty
Issued by Drew Hardesty for
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Low danger. Remember that Risk is inherent in mountain travel.
Low danger doesn't mean No danger: Wet pushalanches possible in terrain that had a poor overnight refreeze. Dry sluffs and pockets of shallow new wind drifts up high.
Follow safe travel protocol, carry and know how to use your rescue gear, and minimize your exposure in high consequence terrain.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow
As of 5am, skies are mostly cloudy ahead of the advancing storm. Mountain temperatures along the higher elevations are back to or have exceeded yesterday's daytime highs of the mid 30s. Mid-elevations have struggled to dip below freezing at all. Winds backed to the southwest overnight and are blowing 10-15mph with gusts to 25. At the 11,000' level, hourly wind speeds are 20-30mph with gusts to near 50. A trace of rain or snow fell in some areas overnight.

For today, we'll see thickening clouds and a few inches of afternoon snow (2-4"?) with pulses of graupel and maybe a clap of thunder or two. Temps will still reach into the low 40s down low and the low 30s up high. The south to southwesterlies will blow 15-20mph with occasionally higher gusts in the afternoon. The failing heart of the storm passes through tomorrow morning and all told, we should see 4-8" of snow by midday Wednesday with an unsteady rain/snow line hovering between 7-7500'.
Recent Avalanches
None.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Observe normal caution if ignoring your taxes yet again and headed into the backcountry today. Expect wet pushalanches in warm, mid-elevation protected areas that suffered a mimimal refreeze; dry sluffing in weak surface snow up high and maybe a couple new shallow drifts from the advancing southwesterly winds. Shallow new snow activity may be expected during periods of peak snowfall intensity in the afternoon.
Additional Information
Bonus Track: Owing to the clear skies, weak surface snow (facets and patches of small surface hoar) developed on many aspects and elevations over the past few days.
I do suspect, however, that the wind, warmth, and overcast skies will have softened the edges of these potential weak layers and otherwise left them greatly diminished. They're now likely most found in the high shady terrain this morning. Help us out and let us know how well the new snow is bonding to these layers.
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.