BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)

Danger Rose Tutorial

A MODERATE danger will already be in store for those reading the advisory now. Like most things in life, timing is everything. A poor to marginal refreeze overnight will have the wet sluffs primed for those heading into the steeper east to south to westerly facing slopes. Upward marching temperatures will allow the mid to low elevation northerly aspects to get into the game as well. Human triggered wet point releases will be probable with daytime warming.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

We have partly cloudy skies with a bump in winds overnight. Many of the anemometers with unobstructed 'views' to the south and southwest are averaging 25-35mph with gusts to the 40s. At least the increasing winds will cool you off from the sweltering heat. Temperatures are already in the upper 20s and low 30s, a jump of 10-15 degrees over the previous night's lows. Riding conditions remain excellent in the high northerly terrain....southerly and 'off' aspect will have a crust that will soften with the first hint of sun.

RECENT ACTIVITY

No reports of avalanche activity from the backcountry.

THREAT #1

WHERE

PROBABILITY

SIZE

TREND

Over the next 12 hours.

The danger of wet activity will increase earlier and will be more widespread today. Spring is a time for transition and the snow on the southerly aspects has yet to bake down completely to a supportable crust. Other than the elusive and unusual 'corn slab' avalanches, and the arguably wet full depth glide releases, wet sluffs are relatively easy to manage. So is your terrain. It'll be something of a balancing act between the cloud cover, temperatures, and wind, but take care to avoid the steeper terrain on the sunlit slopes by about mid-morning as the snow becomes soggy and saturated. The mid and low elevation northerly slopes will also be prone to wet avalanching with sun and rapid warming. Best to avoid riding in or above terrain traps such as gulleys and creekbottoms.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

The table's set. All the classic pre-storm ingredients - increasing cloud cover, strong southwesterly winds, and warming temperatures. Let's hope we're not left standing at the altar. Again. Temperatures today will skyrocket into the upper 50s at 8000 and upper 30s to low 40s at 10,000'. The southwesterly winds will increase to 25-30mph this afternoon, but this should only be the beginning. Tomorrow's southwesterlies should average 40-50mph prior to the arrival of the afternoon cold front. 8-14" possible in favored areas from Tuesday night through early Thursday. Confidence only fair at this time.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The ability to deal with medical emergencies is a vital backcountry travel skill. On April 9-11, Utah Wilderness Safety will be conducting a Wilderness & Remote First Aid course in SLC. As an added bonus, WMS has agreed to donate a percent of the class proceeds to the FUAC. For more details, go to our events calendar orwww.utahwildernesssafety.com/FIRST-AID.html.

SLC: Please contact Alta Central (801-742-2033) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, 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.

Ogden: Please contact Snowbasin ski patrol (801620-1000/1017) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, 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.

Provo: Please contact Sundance ski patrol (801 -223-4150) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, 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.

Discount Lift tickets:Ski Utah, Backcountry.com and the local resorts donated lift tickets, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Utah Avalanche Center.

Wasatch Powderbird Guidesflight plan.

Dawn Patrol Forecast Hotline, updated by 05:30: 888-999-4019 option 8.

Daily observations are frequentlypostedby 10 pm each evening.

Free UAC iPhone app fromCanyon Sports.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail clickHERE.

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We appreciate all youravalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or fill out the observation form on our home page.

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We will update this forecast tomorrow morning. Thanks for calling.

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.

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.