Forecast: Salt Lake Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Issued by Drew Hardesty on
Monday morning, February 3, 2020

The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on all aspects and at all elevations. Human triggered avalanches are probable.

The Special Avalanche Advisory is to warn those unaccustomed to avalanche danger, particularly in the valleys and benches of the Wasatch Front.

Steep terrain needs to be avoided, help us spread the word. Thanks.

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Moderate

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Special Avalanche Bulletin

SPECIAL AVALANCHE BULLETIN

ISSUED

IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MST THIS MORNING TO 6 AM MST TUESDAY

THE MOUNTAINS, BENCHES, AND STEEP TERRAIN IN THE VALLEYS FROM THE IDAHO BORDER DOWN THROUGH UTAH COUNTY.

HEAVY SNOWFALL AND AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE UNSTABLE, DANGEROUS, AVALANCHE PRONE SLOPES, PARTICULARLY IN THE BENCHES AND VALLEYS.

THE AVALANCHE DANGER WILL AFFECT THOSE TYPICALLY UNAWARE OF THE DANGER. AVOID BEING IN OR BENEATH STEEP TERRAIN, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS SUCH AS CREEKBEDS AND GULLIES WHERE THE SNOW MAY PILE UP DEEPLY.

Special Announcements

Discounted lift tickets - Thanks to the generous support of our Utah ski resorts and Ski Utah, all proceeds from these ticket sales go towards paying for avalanche forecasting and education! Get your tickets here.

Forecaster Trent Meisenheimer will be giving a talk on the "State of The Wasatch Snowpack" at the Black Diamond Retail Store in Millcreek - Feburary 13th, from 7:00-8:30 pm. See you there!

Weather and Snow

The storm is upon us.

Snow totals are up to 6.5" (0.45" SWE) in the mountains with roughly the same (if not more) in the valleys and benches.

Winds are west to northwest, blowing 20-30mph with gusts to 40 along many ridgelines. We have gusts to 25 in the valleys.

Temps have dropped to the single digits.

For today, we expect another 4-8" in the mountains with totals of up to 18" or more along the benches. Winds will be from the west northwest at 15-20mph along the ridgelines. We'll have gusts to 25mph in the valleys through at least midday.

Temperatures will continue to fall to just below zero in the higher elevations.

Recent Avalanches

We only heard about a couple very minor wind slabs triggered in steep terrain yesterday.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Sensitive wind drifts will be found to the lee of ridgelines, subridges, rocky outcrops, and other terrain features. Up high, they'll be prominent on terrain with an easterly component but the winds will conspire with the terrain to channel drifts onto nearly every other aspect as well, particularly at the mid and low elevations. These drifts may be up to 2' deep and pile up deeply in terrain traps such as gullies and other terrain traps.

Watch for shooting cracks; audible whumphing in the new drifts. These are immediate signs to turn around.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Heavy snowfall will lead to unstable avalanche conditions on all aspects and elevations. Human triggered avalanches are probable on many steep slopes.

Additional Information

The storm should continue through early tomorrow and remain bitter cold. Winds will shift to the east overnight and blow 20-30mph. The next storm - a warm front - arrives mid-week that will be warm, windy, and wet. Buckle up.

General Announcements

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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

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