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Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Evelyn Lees
Issued by Evelyn Lees on
Thursday morning, December 24, 2015

The Avalanche Warning has been continued for the all mountains of northern and central Utah. The avalanche danger is HIGH in upper and mid elevation terrain, where large avalanches breaking to the ground and running long distances have occurred. Human triggered slides are very likely today, and can be triggered remotely from a distance and from below.

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Learn how to read the forecast here
Avalanche Warning

THE FOREST SERVICE UTAH AVALANCHE CENTER IN SALT LAKE CITY HAS EXTENDED THE BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING.

* TIMING...EXTENDED THROUGH 6 AM MST FRIDAY

* AFFECTED AREA...ALL THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL UTAH AND SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO TO INCLUDE THE WASATCH RANGE, THE BEAR RIVER RANGE, THE WESTERN UINTAS AND THE MANTI-SKYLINE PLATEAU. OTHER MOUNTAIN RANGES WILL LIKELY BE AFFECTED AS WELL * AVALANCHE DANGER...THE AVALANCHE DANGER FOR THE WARNING AREA IS HIGH

* IMPACTS...HEAVY SNOWFALL COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS HAS CREATED WIDESPREAD AREAS OF UNSTABLE SNOW. HUMAN TRIGGERED AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY AND WILL OCCUR IN MANY AREAS. STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDER SLOPES STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES.

Weather and Snow

As skies struggle to clear this morning, temperatures have dropped into the single digits at 10,000’. An overnight dusting of 2 to 4 inches of snow caps off the 3 to 5 foot storm totals. The water content is in the 3 to 5 inch range. Winds have shifted back to the southwest, and are light, with most stations averaging less than 15 mph.

Recent Avalanches

The huge Cascade Ridge natural was yesterday’s headliner, with a video and more photos in the observation. Glimpses of additional natural avalanche activity were reported throughout the northern Utah mountains, and avalanche reduction work continued to trigger large numbers of both new snow slides and slides breaking to the ground. Some slopes have slid two or more times in this storm cycle.

Brett Kobernik photos, Provo area mountains, avalanche debris


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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Dangerous avalanche conditions exist – large avalanches breaking to the ground can be triggered from on slope or from a distance or below. These slides are failing near the ground on weak sugary faceted snow. The snowpack will become more stubborn today, and tracks on a slope are not a sign of stability. The second or even 5th person can trigger a slide. Collapsing or whoomphing sounds indicate you are in the danger zone - get off of and out from under steep slopes.

If you do head into the backcountry, you must have the skills and knowledge to avoid all avalanche terrain (slopes steeper than 30 degrees), including avalanche run out zones and historic avalanche paths. Smaller slopes and terrain traps at the mid and lower elevations can be deadly too.

Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

Yesterday’s strong winds drifted snow on all aspects and all elevations, and numerous avalanches were breaking in the new snow and wind drifts. In addition, any smaller wind slab triggered has the potential to break to the ground. Small, steep features such as road banks, creek and ravine walls and house roofs can avalanche, with debris piling up deep enough to bury a person.

Additional Information

There will be a much-needed break in the snow and wind today, with partly cloudy skies and only a few snow flurries. The southwesterly winds will increase just a bit, averaging 20 to 30 mph across the highest peaks, and in the 10 to 20 mph range at 10,000’. Temperatures will warm to near 10 at 10,000’.

Increasing clouds tonight, with the final cold front reaching the Wasatch mountains after midnight. Up to a foot of additional snow is possible by Friday evening for areas favored by northwest flow. A high-pressure ridge will build in for the weekend.

General Announcements

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to launch a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911. Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort/PCMR Dispatch (435)615-1911

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures: LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts: it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel. You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol. Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI: Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC. Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell. You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.
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