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Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon for
Friday, February 2, 2024
The work week wraps up, slinking out of the office before anyone notices, delivering a small shot of snow, water, and wind... along with a slight bump in the avy hazard as this system continues materializing.
For today, look for MODERATE avalanche danger as shallow wind drifts sensitive to our additional weight build during the day. Human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE on steep, leeward slopes by days end.
Becoming more the exception then the rule, let's not forget our problem child, the persistent weak layer that keeps MODERATE avalanche danger on our radar. Human triggered avalanches breaking deeper and wider than you might expect are still POSSIBLE, particularly on steep, rocky slopes facing the north half of the compass
Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme
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Weather and Snow
Nowcast- A storm system inching from the south towards the Uinta zone last night, delivers thick clouds that squeezed out nearly 4" of snow with .40" H20 to the south half of the range, while the North Slope stacks up half that amount. Non-descriminating winds from the southeast blow in the 20's and 30's along the high peaks and temperatures register in the mid and upper 20's.

Forecast- A Winter Weather Advisory issued by our good friends at Salt Lake's NWS, suggests a nice shot of snow maturing as the day wares on. High temperatures climb into mid 30's and southerly winds eventually switch northwest and increase later today. the The south half of the range does alright for the next few hours, before northwest flow kicks in and the North Slope begins stacking up snow.
Futurecast- Colder air filters into the area later today and storm totals in the 6"-10" range seems reasonable before things wind down late Saturday. A break in the action Sunday with a stronger storm on tap to kick off the work week.
Snow conditions - Earlier this week I multi-tasked, working on my tan and snagging a couple (hundred) shallow creamy turns in wind sheltered terrain. But get your chores done today and let more snow stack up. Recent warm temps and strong sunshine have had their way with many aspects, especially down low where the sunny slopes and hard and crusty. But if you're feelin' the squeeze, gain some elevation, swing over to the north half of the compass and you'll be rewarded with soft, creamy snow on a go-anywhere base.
Recent Avalanches
No significant avalanches to report.
Read more Uinta observations and avalanches HERE.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
I'm still cataloging the mid January avalanche cycle and found this rather large slide yesterday during my travels in Chalk Creek. I've been stepping out into bigger, steeper terrain, but I'm getting onto the slopes I know avalanched a few weeks ago.
You'd really have to go out of your way to trigger a slide that breaks to older layers of snow today, but shallow pow on a go-anywhere base, tends to steer us into bigger terrain, especially slopes in the wind zone. And while so much of the range avalanched during the mid January storm cycle, a few slopes remain intact, just waiting for us to roll along and tickle the right spot, and collapse the pack, often around a rock or bush barely hidden under the snow.
The good news is... the odds of triggering a slide on a persistent weak layer have decreased.
The less than ideal news is... it's not like lightning striking out of nowhere and it's not completely zero.
If you choose to enter avalanche terrain and ride steep slopes, stack the odds in your favor. Avoid areas of thinner snow near rocks (sometimes hard to do), make sure the runout zone is free of trauma-inducing trees and rocks, and make sure your partners watch you from a safe area.
Avalanche Problem #2
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
An early morning data dump from Windy Peak (10,661') shows a steady averages in overnight winds.
Fresh snow coupled with a good run of winds, whip up shallow drifts on the leeward side of upper elevation ridges and cross-load terrain features like chutes and gullies. Starting from the south, but switching northerly later today, I bet drifting becomes more widespread and increasingly reactive to our additional weight as the day wares on.
Additional Information
Most SNOTEL sites have about average water content and snow now. Below is a graph from the Trial Lake SNOTEL showing the 30 year median (green line) and this year's precipitation (black line).
The Uinta weather station network was upgraded this summer and all that real-time info is found HERE. Simply click on "western Uinta" tab and then "weather stations" tab.
We are always looking for snow and avalanche observations or just general riding conditions. So... if you see something, say something. You can reach me directly at [email protected] or 801-231-2170.
Also, if you're looking for more avy education opportunities for yourself, your crew, or your club please don't hesitate to reach out to me and we'll find a presentation, class, or clinic for ya!
General Announcements
CLICK HERE FOR MORE GENERAL INFO AND FAQ
Issued at 0400 on Friday, February 2nd this forecast will be updated by 0700 Saturday, February 3rd, 2024.
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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