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Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon on
Tuesday morning, November 16, 2021
Today's avalanche issues are isolated to high elevation terrain facing the north half of the compass and you'd really have to go out of your way to trigger a slide today. But remember... even a small avalanche this time of year will reveal a myriad of season ending obstacles. So... if you're hiking, hunting, snowshoeing or out for a high elevation peak bagging circuit you'll want to look for and avoid any steep, wind drifted slope.
Low
Moderate
Considerable
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Extreme
Learn how to read the forecast here
Special Announcements
Thanks to everyone who joined us for the 14th annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop
Weather and Snow
NOWCAST-
The big news are the winds! Southwest winds began ramping up yesterday right around midday and steadily increased overnight, averaging in the mid 30's and gusting into the 50's along the high ridges. Temperatures register in the mid 30's with a few sites still hover in the low 40's... yup the warm before a meager looking storm.
FORECAST-
Expect mostly cloudy skies with light snow showers developing as the day progresses. Nothing to get excited over, maybe just an inch or two of snow is expected. Westerly winds will remain a nuisance throughout the day, blowing in the 40's and 50's along the high peaks. The biggest storm impact are cratering temperatures which crash into the teens overnight.
FUTURECAST-
A similar looking system is on tap for Friday. No big storms in sight.
Looking for real-time temps, snow, or wind?
Click HERE and then on the "western Uinta" tab for western Uinta specific, weather station network.
As the seasons change, we're interested in what you're seeing. Go here to fill out an observation.
Recent Avalanches
No recent avalanche activity to report.
Observations, trip reports, and avalanches found here.
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Avalanche Problem #1
Wind Drifted Snow
Type
Location
Likelihood
Size
Description
Ted was in upper Humpy Basin on Saturday and snapped these images, illustrating the overall coverage and general snow structure in upper elevation terrain.
Fresh drifts along the highest ridges are about the only avalanche concern these days. The good news is... you'd really have to go out of your way to get into trouble because they're isolated to the highest terrain. In addition, today's wind slabs are easy to detect by their fat, round, and often chalky looking appearance. The bad news is... even a small wind drift can easily knock you off your feet and take you for a nasty ride through rocks, deadfall, or stumps.
And remember- just 'cause you can see it from the road doesn't means it's good to go. Our high mountain passes dump us off in avalanche terrain. I think about early season roadside attractions like Murdock Bowl off the Mirror Lake Highway or Wolf Creek Bowl near highway 35 and Wolf Creek Pass. Easy grabs... right? Even though it might not seem like there's enough snow to avalanche, today you'll want to avoid any steep, wind drifted slope.
Additional Information
As the seasons shift we will see you back here more frequently
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
I will update this forecast as conditions change and then once winter kicks you can expect the usual daily forecasts issued by 07:00... or perhaps earlier :)
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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