In the past week, we have added 3-7 feet of snow containing 3-7 inches of water to a very weak and faceted snowpack in the mountains above Salt Lake. Although it may be a little bit harder to trigger an avalanche failing in these deeply-buried weak layers, any avalanche you trigger will be very large and destructive - 4-8' deep and hundreds of feet wide. Or even larger.

The most suspect terrain continues to be the west through north through southeast facing aspects at mid and upper elevations. HOWEVER, with so much snowfall - upper elevation south-facing terrain and low elevation north-facing terrain may also produce avalanches that break on buried persistent weak layers. Avoid being on or underneath any slope steeper than 30 degrees where this persistent weak layer is present.

I am especially wary of outlying areas that hold a weaker and thinner snowpack, including Millcreek, Lambs Canyon, much of the Park City ridgeline,

Winds have increased during the overnight hours and will persist into today. These winds will have plenty of fresh snow available for transport, and fresh wind drifts and likely at the mid - and especially upper - elevations. Although you are more likely to find fresh drifts on the leeward aspects facing north through southeast, terrain may channel and funnel winds, with wind drifts possible on any aspect. Watch for signs of sensitive wind drifted snow such as cracking. Any avalanche initially occurring in a fresh wind drift may step down into deeply-buried weak layers, creating a very large avalanche.

Also watch for fresh cornices along exposed ridgelines. These cornices may be sensitive, and any cornice falls may also step down to deeply-buried weak layers. Yesterday, Craig Gordon looked at the recent avalanche on Tuscarora that was over 4' deep in places and thinks this slide was triggered by a cornice fall.