SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT |
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The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for our area for this afternoon and tonight. |
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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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This morning the avalanche danger is level 3 (or CONSIDERABLE,) and dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the backcountry, especially on drifted slopes at upper elevations. Continued heavy snowfall and strong south and west winds today will cause the danger to rise to level 4 (or HIGH). Natural and triggered avalanches will become likely on slopes steeper than about 35 degrees. If you brave the incoming blizzard, you should avoid obvious or historic avalanche paths and steep drifted slopes at upper elevations. |
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CURRENT CONDITIONS |
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Expect heavy snowfall, strong winds, and dropping temperatures again today in the mountains as well as down in Cache Valley. The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for Northern Utah and much of the surrounding area....
The Bear River Range boasts impressive three-day storm totals of 4-5' of snow containing about 4.5" of water since Saturday morning. The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports another foot-and-a-half of new snow containing 1.4" of water, just from yesterday and overnight. There's now 60 inches of total snow on the ground containing 9.4 inches of water equivalent, and the station is currently sitting at 187% of average for the date... I'm again reading strong southwest winds at the moment on Logan Peak, with gusts above 50 mph and 13 degrees this morning at 9700'.
The Tony Grove Road is not maintained for wheeled vehicles in the winter, and with full-on blizzard conditions likely today and tonight, you should not attempt to drive up it....... |
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RECENT ACTIVITY |
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Numerous triggered and a few natural avalanches were reported in the Central Wasatch Range over the weekend and yesterday. These were failing on weaknesses within the new snow as well as on buried persistent weak layers....see list
Locally on Sunday, I easily and intentionally triggered a shallow (<6"deep) soft slab in far east Miller Bowl, south of Tony Grove Lake with a ski cut. The small (40' wide) new snow avalanche ran a ways through trees below and triggered a similar sized sympathetic release under the East Miller Chute. Yesterday, we found very deep powder conditions and little avalanche danger on the sheltered slopes of Beaver Mountain... |
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THREAT #1 |
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PROBABILITY |
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TREND |
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Over the next
24 hours.
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The danger of storm snow and wind slab avalanches will continue to rise at upper elevations, with another foot or two of accumulation possible today and strong west winds. Significant loose new snow and soft slab avalanches are likely on steep slopes....
Expect to find extensive drifting in exposed terrain. Stiff, freshly formed wind slabs 3-6 feet deep are most likely in exposed upper elevation terrain and in and around terrain features like gullies, scoops, and cliff bands.... Areas with small cornices and ridge-top areas where cornices usually form are likely to have substantial freshly deposited drifts today. Continuing and intensifying strong south and west winds, along with more heavy snowfall will cause the danger to increase and become more widespread today.... |
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THREAT #2 |
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PROBABILITY |
SIZE |
TREND |
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Over the next
24
hours.
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And, with all the additional load, some avalanches might step down into an existing weak layer that was near the snow surface last weekend and capped by a thin brittle rime-crust last Sunday. Some of the larger recent avalanches in the Central Wasatch Range show this potential. This type of avalanche could be triggered from a distance, or worse, from below.... |
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MOUNTAIN WEATHER |
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The National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for our area for this afternoon and tonight. Another 1-2 feet of accumulation is possible, and strong southwest winds today will shift from the northwest with frontal passage this evening.....Temperatures in the teens today will plunge to well below zero overnight... Snowfall should tapper off tomorrow, but the cold air will remain through Thanksgiving and beyond.... |
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GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS |
Don't miss our annual Pray for Snow party and fundraiser, Wednesday December 1st at the Italian Place.
Send us your avalanche and snow observations. You can also call me at 435-757-7578, or email to uac@utahavalanchecenter.org
Donate to your favorite non-profit – The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center. The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work.
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. |
