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Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon on
Saturday morning, February 1, 2020
Heads up-
Today's warm temperatures may help to reactivate buried weak layers in our snowpack that have been dormant for several weeks.
In the wind zone at and above treeline, steep, wind drifted slopes offer MODERATE avalanche danger and human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE. Lose a little elevation and you lose most of that problem.
While more the exception than the rule, human triggered avalanches breaking into deeper, buried weak layers remains a distinct possibility. Usual suspects include- steep, rocky, upper elevation terrain, especially slopes exhibiting a thin, shallow snowpack. Remember- any slide that breaks to old snow will immediately ruin your day.
The avalanche danger will rise to MODERATE on steep, sunny slopes as the day progresses and human triggered damp sluffs and slides become possible with daytime heating.
Wind sheltered, low and mid elevation slopes with no steep terrain above or adjacent to where you're riding offers LOW avalanche danger and human triggered avalanches are UNLIKELY.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
While you're waiting for your crew to show up at the Noblett's trailhead, you can take a few minutes and swing by the Beacon Basin located on the northeast side of the parking lot and challenge your rescue skills. And then... when you're headed onto the snow, make sure your transceiver is sending a signal by sliding by the Are You Beeping beacon checker on the south end of the parking lot. Remember... these are the type of sled specific programs your donation dollars help to fund and sustain.
January 24 - February 6
Are you looking to improve your avalanche skills? We are offering a Motorized Backcountry 101: Introduction to Avalanches class on February 6 & 8 out of The Edge Powersports and Thousand Peaks Ranch in the Western Uintas. Click HERE for more details.
Weather and Snow
Currently-
With brief high pressure building over the region, skies finally cleared overnight and current temperatures are in the low 20's. West and northwest winds bumped into the 20's and 30's for a couple hours last night, but just relaxed and blow 15-25 mph along the ridges. With total settled snow depths averaging six feet, the range is white and the coverage remarkable. Riding and turning conditions remain all-time with mid elevation, wind sheltered terrain delivering cold, creamy snow and excellent riding.
Uinta weather network info is found here. Simply click on the Western Uinta tab.
For today and tomorrow-
It's gonna be a brilliant day in the mountains with sunny skies, temperatures rising into the mid 40's, and northwest winds blowing in the 20's and 30's, with gusts in the 40's along the high peaks. By tonight, clouds filter into the region, winds shift to the southwest and increase. Sunday should be the warm before the storm with winds cranking 50-70 mph along the high peaks.
Futurecast-
You know it's gonna be a solid storm when our good friend Brian McInerney, hydrologist at the NWS, produces one of his award winning weather briefing videos. (*awards are pending committee review :)
Recent Avalanches
No significant avalanche activity to report.
To view additional trip reports and recent avalanche activity, simply click here.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Above, an image of snow structure on a north facing slope in upper Whitney Basin that avalanched earlier this season. These are the type of slopes that may light up with Monday's storm.
Heads up-
Today's warm temperatures may help to reactivate buried weak layers in our snowpack that have been dormant for several weeks.
In most terrain the snowpack is deep, it's gaining strength, and it's happy in its own skin. However, steep, rocky, upper elevation terrain and slopes that avalanched near the ground earlier in the season remain suspect. So, while so much of our terrain is good to go, if you're travels take you to steep, technical slopes today, especially those with a thin, shallow snowpack, think about your exit strategy and the consider the consequences of triggering a slide that has the potential to break deeper and wider than you might expect. Or... with all the good riding out there and miles of terrain to choose from, simply avoid slopes with these characteristics.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
While there's not an abundance of snow available to blow around, I bet the overnight bump in wind speed whips up a batch of shallow drifts sensitive to our additional weight. Found mostly on the leeward side of upper elevation ridges, I wouldn't be too surprised to find a fresh drift or two cross-loaded in and around terrain features like chutes or gullies. More the exception than the rule, a rogue wind slab could break deeper and wider than you might expect, creating a slide that quickly gets out of hand. Your best bet for avoidance is to simply steer clear of any fat, rounded piece of snow, especially if it sounds hollow like a drum.
Avalanche Problem #3
Wet Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Our snowpack will get it's first taste of strong sunshine and spring-like temperatures and we should shift our mindset if our travels take us to steep slopes that facing the sunny half of the compass. If you're feeling like an ant under a magnifying glass ... well then, so is the snowpack. (no ants were harmed in the making of this analogy :)
As the day heats up and the snow surface gets damp and manky, simply get off of seep, sunny slopes and move to cooler aspects facing the north half fo the compass.
Additional Information
Thanks to the generous support of our Utah ski resorts and Ski Utah, we have discount lift tickets available. All proceeds support the UAC. Get your tickets HERE.
Get one of these cool t-shirts to support the UAC and other avalanche centers across the U.S. INFO
General Announcements
The information in this forecast expires in 24 hours, but will be updated by 7:00 AM Sunday Feb. 2nd.
This forecast is updated daily by 7:00 AM.
In the mean-time, if you see or trigger an avalanche or just wanna let me know what you're seeing you can reach me directly at 801-231-2170
This is a great time of year to schedule one of our free avy awareness presentations.
You can email me directly [email protected]
The information in this forecast is from the US Forest Service which is solely responsible for its content.
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