Information for the Southwest Area Mountains
Friday morning, February 20, 2026
What: The Utah Avalanche Center is warning of dangerous avalanche conditions across all Utah mountains this weekend. This week’s heavy snowfall and strong winds overloaded preexisting weak layers, creating a HIGH avalanche danger across the entire state. With improving weather moving in for the weekend, avalanche accidents are likely in the backcountry. There have already been two tragic avalanche fatalities this week, as well as several close calls and numerous backcountry avalanches reported.
When: In effect from 6:00 AM MST today to 6:00 AM MST Monday
Where: The mountains of Utah and southeastern Idaho.
Impacts: Dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry and will persist through the weekend. Natural avalanches are possible, and people are likely to trigger avalanches on slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Dangerous and deadly avalanches can be triggered remotely (from a distance or from below). People leaving ski area boundaries are entering the backcountry where the same dangerous avalanche conditions exist.
Warning Times: Friday, February 20, 2026 – Monday, February 23, 2026 at 6:00 AM MST