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Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Trent Meisenheimer
Issued by Trent Meisenheimer on
Sunday morning, January 23, 2022
Today the avalanche danger is LOW on all aspects and elevations. Travel Advice: Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features. Likelihood of Avalanches: Natural and human-triggered avalanches are unlikely. Avalanche Size and Distribution: Small avalanches in isolated areas or extreme terrain.
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Weather and Snow
Under clear skies, a strong temperature inversion has taken hold over the Wasatch range with an 11,000' temperature of 30 °F and a 7,400' temperature of 7°F. That's a difference of 23 degrees from the valley bottoms to the mountain summits. Impressive! Winds are currently blowing from the northwest at speeds of 5-10 mph across the upper elevation ridgelines.
Another sunny day on tap with mountain temperatures climbing into the low 30's this afternoon at 8,500'. Winds will remain from the northwest and should stay calm all day.
Looks like another week of mainly high pressure and no significant snowfall. But let's keep our heads up; it looks like a pattern change for the first of February that will open the door for storms. My good friend Mike Wessler who works for the National Weather Service, wrote yesterday," all eyes are on the beginning of February for our next period of active weather. All signs point towards a rapid breakdown of the ridge parked off the northwestern coast and its redevelopment slightly west with an axis centered over the Gulf of Alaska or the Aleutian Islands. This will kick off trough development downstream and finally the potential for an event with a healthy moisture tap sometime in the first week of February." It's time to do whatever it is you do for good luck, snow dance, burn your skis, look for Orion in the sky, four-leaf clovers, cross your fingers.

Greg Gagne's patented Week in Review is published and can be found HERE>
Recent Avalanches
None. You can find all observations HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
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Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Definition of Normal Caution: This is not a specific avalanche problem. It is used by UAC forecasters most often when the avalanche conditions are generally safe, and there is no predominate avalanche problem. Any avalanche type is possible, but the most common would be windslab, loose wet, and dry loose avalanches, and they are expected to be small.
Do not approach a Normal Caution as an "anything goes" situation. Mountain travel is inherently dangerous. Continue to keep your guard up and look for any signs of unstable snow. Always evaluate snow and weather conditions as you travel. And remember, even a small avalanche in radical terrain can have massive consequences.
General Announcements
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC.
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.