Forecast: Salt Lake Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Issued by Brooke Maushund on
Tuesday morning, January 27, 2026

The snowpack is generally stable and the avalanche danger is LOW. Our primary concerns are small slides able to knock us off our feet in consequential terrain. Watch for sensitive wind-drifted slabs in exposed terrain at mid and upper elevations up to 6 inches deep. Loose dry sluffs of weak snow, or facet-lanches, are becoming deeper and more common in steep, sheltered northerly terrain.

Ice Climbers: Consider the terrain above you and the potential for loose dry drifts while planning your climb and belays.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Weather and Snow

Yesterday, cold clear weather persisted with mountain highs hitting the high teens to low 20s F under mostly sunny skies. Winds from the west blew 10-25 mph, with gusts into the mid 20s to 30s mph able to transport dry, faceted surface snow.

Today will be slightly different from yesterday (!) as high cloud cover moves in and out with periods of sun and mid-level clouds. Temps will rise into the high 20s F, and winds will be similar to yesterday.

Looking ahead, there's a potential for some snow to fall tomorrow as a system passes to our north, but you'll have to check back tomorrow for more details. While the weather isn’t exactly what we’ve been hoping for—it’s never a GOOD thing when the NWS remarks in the morning include the words “boring” and “depressing”— it is a great time right now to explore terrain we normally wouldn’t be able to to get into this time of year….and—you never know what’s coming on day 11 of a 10 day forecast. Or day 15 of a 14 day model run. I’ll be holding out...

Recent Avalanches

No Name Bowl, PC Ridgeline - Mark White noted dry loose facet sluffs running yesterday. While small, in the wrong terrain these can easily knock you off your feet, and are growing in size as the snowpack continues to weaken.

On Sunday, observers who found sensitive, shallow wind drifts in exposed terrain at mid and upper elevations. These drifts were shallow (up to six inches deep) and propagated up to 10 feet wide, with one rider caught and briefly carried on Mt. Raymond. Nikki Champion and Greg Gagne found similar conditions.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

The persistent ridge of high pressure also means persistent generally stable avalanche conditions. Still, generally stable does not mean completely. We're mostly keeping an eye out for small slides that can knock you off your feet in/above consequential terrain.

Keep an eye out for:

Loose dry sluffs of weak snow, particularly on very steep slopes, especially where the snow remains shallow or unconsolidated. As the snow surface continues to weaken, loose dry sluffs will become more common and deeper. Managing these requires attention and strategic skiing.
Small wind slabs in exposed terrain at mid and upper elevations. These drifts will be sensitive as they've formed atop very weak snow. Their size potential is the same as the sluffs above, but again—be aware of the consequences of being knocked off your feet in the terrain you're in.

Long walks into far terrain and beacon practice have been on my menu lately. Now's a great time for both.

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.

Observations and Avalanches

Backcountry Emergency Procedures