BOTTOM LINE
Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)
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Danger Rose Tutorial
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The danger will rise to CONSIDERABLE in the backcountry during daytime seasonal and solar heating in the next few days. You could trigger sizable and dangerous loose wet avalanches on steep slopes with saturated snow...Although more likely in the midday heat, wet avalanches are possible anytime of day or night without solid overnight freezes.
Use consevative decision making, careful route finding, and continue to use good travel habits. |
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CURRENT CONDITIONS |
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A bit warm to be talking about snow conditions. Slush is more like it.....The melt is on and with poor overnight freezes and intense solar and seasonal heating, it's not a great time to be out in the backcountry....
I'm waiting for much colder overnight temperatures...... |
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RECENT ACTIVITY |
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The mountains around Cache Valley look like they're candles that have burned for too long. The numerous loose wet avalanches look like streams of hot wax pouring down slopes on all sides and at all elevations....
These mostly occurred during the hight of midday warmth in the last few days, and most as last week's fresh snow was initially warmed up on Friday. (4-19-09 Photos) |
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THREAT #1 |
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PROBABILITY |
SIZE |
TREND |
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Over the next
24
hours.
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The danger of wet avalanches will continue to be a threat as long as the days are hot and the nights are warm.... The danger will be greatest during the hottest part of the day, but will be present at night and early in the morning until night-time temperatures start to drop well below freezing for a while...
We should stay off of and out from under steep slopes with saturated snow. |
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THREAT #2 |
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| WHERE |
PROBABILITY |
SIZE |
TREND |
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Over the next
24
hours.
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I'd exect some very large natural cornice falls with all this heat, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere under one of our local monsters when it fails. Stay away from and out from under large cornices...... |
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MOUNTAIN WEATHER |
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Expect mostly clear and still warming conditions in the next couple days. Some convective precipitation and more summer-like showers are possible later in the week.... |
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GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Our "Know before You Go" video is available online..... (click HERE to watch it)
Please let us know what you're seeing in the backcountry, especially if you see or trigger an avalanche, by leaving us a message at (435-)755-3638 or 1-800-662-4140. Or, you can always e-mail us at uac@utahavalanchecenter.org. . Your observations are very important for our program.....
The Utah Avalanche Center depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.
I will be issuing intermittent and weekend advisories through the rest of April..... I will update this advisory midweek....
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 occur. |
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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 occur. |
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This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:
The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list. |
