Forecast: Salt Lake Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Salt Lake Area Mountains

Issued by Trent Meisenheimer on
Sunday morning, April 19, 2026

Today, the avalanche danger is generally LOW, and Normal Caution is advised. No single avalanche problem stands out. Pay attention to slopes warming in the sun, where wet-loose avalanches can occur, and watch for isolated pockets of wind-drifted snow at upper elevations. Use good travel habits and stay alert to changing conditions throughout the day.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Special Announcements

Today will be our last daily morning forecast for the season. We will issue intermittent updates and publish observations through May 1st.

Weather and Snow

Under clear skies, mountain temperatures are fairly inverted this morning, with the Spruces Campground, at 7,400 feet, sitting at 26 °F, while the top of Collins at Alta Ski Area, 10,500 feet, is 34 °F. Wind chill values have most stations feeling below freezing. Winds are blowing from the west-southwest at 5–15 mph, with gusts into the 20s along most upper-elevation ridgelines. At 11,000 feet, winds are a bit stronger, blowing 20–30 mph.

Today will bring plenty of sunshine, with mountain temperatures climbing into the 40s °F. Southwest winds will stay light, blowing 5–15 mph. Clouds will begin to increase later in the day, with a band moving in around the dinner hour.

Yesterday, the snowpack took on some heat, and most slopes will have a crust this morning that will soften with daytime warming. Shallow powder over a crust can still be found on higher-elevation north-facing terrain.

Picture: This is our tracks yesterday on a north facing slope at 10,500'. Shallow powder over a crust.

Recent Avalanches

Yesterday, I observed several small wet-loose avalanches, both natural and human-triggered, as the snowpack warmed during daytime heating (pic below). You can view all recent observations HERE.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Yesterday, we found generally stable snow during our tour. There is roughly 3 to 6 inches of settled snow sitting over a crust (old snow surface) on most sheltered, upper-elevation northerly aspects (see photo below). Other slopes warmed quickly, and we saw a round of wet-loose avalanches begin around 11 a.m. I also found small drifts of wind-blown snow, less than a foot deep, with no cracking or signs of sensitivity.

Therefore, normal caution is recommended in the mountains today. That doesn’t mean you can turn your brain off and punch into everything. Pay attention to slopes taking on heat, where push-a-lanches (wet-loose sluffs) can still run far and pile up deeply in transition zones. As always, keep an eye out for old or fresh drifts of wind-blown snow.

Photo: Snowpit on a north facing slope 10,500 feet in elevation.

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.

Observations and Avalanches

Backcountry Emergency Procedures