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Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon on
Sunday morning, December 26, 2021
Heads up... it's the real deal. Please think about your terrain choices and the potentially deadly consequences of triggering an avalanche today-
Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist near and above treeline in the western Uinta's where the avalanche danger is HIGH. Both natural and human-triggered avalanches are likely. Very dense, heavy snow combined with strong winds has overloaded our fragile snowpack. Below treeline, human triggered avalanches are likely, and the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE.
Here's your exit strategy- there's plenty of safe, low angle terrain, but the key to avoiding avalanches is to avoid being on, under, or anywhere near slopes steeper than 30 degrees, especially those facing the north half of the compass.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Avalanche Warning
THE AVALANCHE DANGER IS HIGH WITH DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS.
AN AVALANCHE WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF MUCH OF THE STATE OF UTAH, INCLUDING THE WASATCH RANGE...BEAR RIVER RANGE...UINTA MOUNTAINS...AND THE MANTI-SKYLINE.
HEAVY DENSE SNOWFALL AND STRONG WINDS HAVE CREATED DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS. BOTH HUMAN TRIGGERED AND NATURAL AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY. STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDER SLOPES STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES
Special Announcements
Now... let's keep our eyes on the prize,
Avalanche conditions are very dangerous across most of the State of Utah as discussed by our staff in the video below -
Weather and Snow
NOWCAST-
The latest round of storms was good to the Uinta's with another 6" of snow stacking up early Christmas morning. But it's gonna be hard to tell exactly where to find that soft snow, because last nights wind raged into the 50's and 60's, getting well into lower elevation terrain and wrecking a lot of good snow. Under mostly cloudy skies, this mornings temperatures register in the teens and low 20's. Southerly winds continue cranking into the 60's along the high ridges.
FORECAST-
Buckle up... a very strong storm system slams into the region early this morning between 7AM and 9 AM, bringing a period of heavy snowfall likely lasting 2 to 3 hours. Expect snowfall rates potentially in excess of 2 inches per hour, so we could easily stack up 10" of snow in short order before a short-lived midday break. High temperatures don't vary much from where we're at this morning. Winds switch to the west in the next few hours, but continue screaming along the ridges, blowing into the 70's near the high peaks.
FUTURECAST-
Yet another storm is on track for late tonight and Monday. Substantially colder, we should see another good shot of lower density snow stacking up through Monday night.
Looking for real-time temps, snow, or wind?
Click HERE and then on the "western Uinta" tab for western Uinta specific, weather station network.
Recent Avalanches
The snowpack is giving a clear warning. On Thursday, Mark remotely triggered an avalanche above Smith and Morehouse Reservoir on a slope loaded by strong southerly winds.
A list of all other observations is found HERE
Observations, trip reports, and avalanches found here.
Your input is vital and we're interested in what you're seeing. Please contribute to this great community resource and go here to fill out an observation.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Let's face it.... the snowpack is a house of cards and teetering on the edge. Slopes that haven't already avalanched naturally, just wait for a trigger like us to roll along and knock the legs out from underneath it. Today's avalanche danger is nothing to toy with as any avalanche triggered may have deadly consequences. Once triggered, slab avalanches will break on a persistent weak layer of old snow near the ground, resulting in a deep, wide, unmanageable slide.
  • Avalanches will break up to 6 feet deep and hundreds of feet wide in heavily wind loaded areas.
  • You don't have to be on a steep slope to trigger a large, dangerous avalanche.
  • Avalanches can be triggered from a distance, even on flat terrain.
  • You need to stay off of and out from under steep slopes.
Here's your exit strategy- there's plenty of safe, low angle terrain in the Uinta Mountains. But the key to avoiding avalanches is to avoid being on, under, or anywhere near slopes steeper than 30 degrees, especially those facing the north half of the compass.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Above is a 24 hour data dump from Windy Peak (10,662')
Southerly winds are relentless, cranking in the 30's and 40's for the past three days, ramping up into the 50's and 60's overnight. With no shortage of snow to blow around, fresh drifts have formed everywhere, particularly in terrain that harbors a persistent weak layer of sugary facets near the ground. Today you need to avoid any fat, rounded, hollow sounding wind drift because that's exactly the right recipe for avalanches to break deeper and wider than you might expect, especially on steep, shady slopes.
Avalanche Problem #3
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
On slopes that don't have wind drifted snow and don't have old facets near the ground, todays new snow will stack up fast and furious and that alone may produce soft slab avalanches. Subtle variations in the new snow like density changes can create a temporary weak layer. Fortunately these instabilities can be short lived, but they remain a concern as long as it is snowing.
Additional Information
Your observations are important, so please let me know what you're seeing... click HERE and contribute to this amazing community based program
General Announcements
The information in this forecast expires 24 hours after the day and time posted, but will be updated by 07:00 Monday December 27th.
Before it gets too crazy, now is the time to book an avalanche awareness presentation for your group, club, or posse. You can reach me directly at 801-231-2170 or [email protected]
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.
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