Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Trent Meisenheimer
Issued by Trent Meisenheimer on
Saturday morning, April 11, 2026

The avalanche danger is generally LOW, but don’t let that fool you. This falls into the “Normal Caution” category, where no single avalanche problem stands out, but small avalanches remain possible.

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Special Announcements

Human Factor Research: Researchers Ian McCammon and Sara Boilen are developing new tools for managing human factors for backcountry skiers and boarders. This survey asks about personal experiences with human factors and will take 7-8 minutes to complete. Link is HERE.

Weather and Snow

Under partly cloudy skies, mountain temperatures are warm, ranging from 32 to 49 degrees Fahrenheit. The south wind has picked up ahead of today’s small storm and is blowing 10–20 mph, with gusts into the 30s across upper-elevation terrain.

Today we sit under a mild southerly flow, with a weak embedded trough sliding overhead around midday. Expect partly to mostly cloudy skies as temperatures climb into the mid to upper 40s °F. As the wave moves through, we may squeeze out a few showers, with precipitation falling as rain up to around 9,500 feet. There’s even a slight chance of a rumble of thunder as the atmosphere briefly destabilizes.

Behind the wave, temperatures ease back a touch with the rain/snow line dropping to around 8,000 feet later in the day. Don’t expect much in the way of accumulation with this system. Southerly winds will stay active, blowing 15–25 mph with gusts pushing into the 30s and 40s along the upper-elevation ridgelines.

The good news is a storm is lining up from the 12th through the 14th. The bad news... It’s another cut-off low, just spinning in place and making its own rules as it drifts across the state. Translation: we could see anything from a generous refresh to a full-on sleeper storm—call it zero to 16 inches, depending on how this thing decides to behave.

Recent Avalanches

None.

Avalanche Problem #1
Normal Caution
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Description

This is a “Normal Caution” kind of day, and no single avalanche problem stands out, but that doesn’t mean you get a free pass. It’s the mountains, after all, and there’s always some level of inherent risk anytime you step into avalanche terrain.

With today’s southerly winds, expect shallow drifts of wind-blown snow forming along upper-elevation ridgelines and in leeward terrain. These shallow drifts will be small, but they could still knock you off your feet, especially in steep terrain or where consequences are high. Think of it as pockets of reactivity rather than a widespread issue. Most slopes will feel manageable, but you may still run into a shallow fresh drift that cracks or moves under your weight.

Additional Information

We have published February 2026: Four Avalanche Fatalities in Five Days: a community review with most of the UAC Salt Lake office. This 38-minute video is worth sitting down and digesting. A huge thanks to UAC Education Manager & Forecaster McKinley Talty for his hard work putting this together behind the scenes.

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.