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Forecast for the Provo Area Mountains

Evelyn Lees
Issued by Evelyn Lees on
Sunday morning, January 4, 2015

The avalanche danger is MODERATE on any steep slopes with drifts of wind-blown snow, which may be hard and cracky. These drifts will be most widespread in upper elevation terrain, especially along the ridge lines. The danger is also MODERATE for the isolated chance of triggering a deeper slide on upper elevation slopes facing northwest through east, that would break on a buried layer of weak faceted snow.

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Special Announcements

Events this week include a Black Diamond Fireside chat with Drew Hardesty on Wednesday, Jan 7th and The Utah Adventure Journal Speaker Series featuring ice climber Will Gadd on Thursday, Jan 8th. For details go to our Events Page.

The beacon parks are up and running. The Canyons Beacon Park is located mid-mountain, across the iron bridge as you head toward Tombstone; the Solitude Beacon Park in Big Cottonwood Canyon is located at the west end of the lower parking lot; the Snowbird Little Cottonwood Beacon Park is located on the by-pass road below the heliport.

You can now choose which region’s forecast you would like emailed. Sign up HERE ​ to get the daily forecast emailed.

Weather and Snow

Under clear to partly cloudy skies, temperatures in the Provo area mountains are in the teens and 20s this morning. The westerly winds have notched it down a bit from yesterday’s gusty blast. Speeds are still brisk across the highest peaks, with averages to 40 mph and gusts to 50. But again like yesterday, speeds drop off very nicely once you get off the highest ridges, and 15 mph averages, with occasional gusts in the 30s, are more the norm.

The softest snow continues to be found on shady, wind sheltered slopes.

Recent Avalanches

No avalanches were reported from the backcountry yesterday.

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Avalanche Problem #1
Persistent Weak Layer
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

The most likely slide you will trigger today would be an old hard wind slab along a ridgeline or in upper elevation terrain. With strong wind events this past week from almost all directions, you’ll find these drifts scattered on a variety of aspects. The consequences of even a short ride can vary dramatically depending on your terrain – a ride off a cliff, into trees or through a rocky chute is very different from a slide down a short open slope.

Avalanche Problem #2
New Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description

With poor snowpack structure (strong layers of snow sitting on weaker, faceted layers), there are still isolated places where a deeper slide could be triggered in upper elevation terrain facing northwest through east, especially northeasterly facing. Steep slopes with a shallower snowpack and rocky areas are suspect. Again, consider the potential consequences of a ride as you choose your line.

Additional Information

A moist but stable northwest flow will be over northern Utah through Monday. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy, with chances for very light snow at times. Today, the best chance for snow will be along the Utah/Idaho border, tonight and tomorrow, an inch or two of snow is possible throughout the northern mountains. The west northwesterly winds will remain strong along the high ridge lines through Monday, before finally decreasing. 35 to 45 mph averages at times, with gusts to 65. Off the ridge lines, speeds will be much less once again - 15 to 20 mph averages. Highs temperatures today will be near 30 at 8,000’ and in the teens at 10,000’. A major warm up is still forecast for Wednesday through Thursday.

General Announcements

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort Dispatch (435-615-3322)

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures: LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides Blog/Itinerary for the Day.

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

Discount lift tickets are now available at Backcountry.com with more resorts to come soon. Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts. All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

To those skinning uphill at resorts: it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel. You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol. Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI: Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC. Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell. You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.

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