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Forecast for the Uintas Area Mountains

Craig Gordon
Issued by Craig Gordon on
Friday morning, November 19, 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.
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Weather and Snow
NOWCAST-
Clouds drifted into the region overnight, moderating temperatures which currently register in the mid to upper 20's. Southerly winds blow in the 30's and 40's along the high peaks. With only 12"-16" of total snow depth, a road ride or a few turns on a low angle grassy meadow are the only games in town.
FORECAST-
Expect mostly cloudy skies with light snow showers developing as the day progresses. High temperatures climb into the mid 30's and west-southwest winds blow in the 50's along the high ridges. A decent shot of moisture moves into the area late tonight with 2"-5" of snow expected... the southern half of the range around Wolf Creek could squeak out an additional inch or two.
FUTURECAST-
Snow showers taper off Saturday morning and high presssure builds. No big storms in sight.
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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 six days ago 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
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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.