Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

AVALANCHE WATCH »

The risk of an avalanche is expected to increase significantly but the timing and location are still uncertain. Stay tuned for updates.
Notice:

This advisory has been updated in light of heavier precipitation starting to occurr and expected to continue through the afternoon.

Heavy snowfall rates are likely to cause natural avalanche activity later this morning as well as this afternoon. With natural avalanche acivity expected, people should stay off and out from under steep avalanche paths on all aspects especially during periods of heavy snowfall.


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 exists in the mid and upper elevation wind affected terrain. Most likely aspects are north through east but as always, watch for cross loaded terrain features on all aspects. Out of the wind affected terrain the avalanche danger is LOW. Keep in mind that the avalanche danger will be on the rise as expected new snow piles up. The avalanche danger can spike rapidly during periods of intense snowfall which could happen this afternoon.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Southwesterly winds did increase on Sunday and continued blowing in the 15 to 25 mph range overnight with gusts in the 30s and 40s. The most exposed locations recorded gusts in the 50s. Ridgetop temperatures are in the low 20s and teens.


RECENT ACTIVITY

People wandering around in the upper elevation windy terrain on Sunday not too surprisingly found some wind slabs that popped out. (photo) While many slopes got skied without incident, at least two people took rides in two separate slides, one in Birthday Bowl of the White Pine drainage (photo) and one off Little Water Peak in Mill Creek. (photos) These pockets didn’t pose a huge threat of burial but the potential of injury is always there with an uncontrolled ride. A handful of other observations included small wind slabs that would crack from the weight of a person. (photos)


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

We’ll start the day with wind slabs as our main focus again. With continued winds overnight, some of these drifts may have grown into a somewhat scary category. They probably won’t be as sensitive as yesterday which makes things a bit more tricky by hiding the obvious clue of cracking as soon as you touch one. This may give you a false sense of security in not seeing the signs until it’s too late. Don’t trust any pillowy looking drifts as well as hollow sounding snow on steep slopes.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Heavy snowfall is now occurring in a number of locations and is expected to continue through the afternoon. A spike in avalanche activity will probably be the result if this heavy snowfall continues. Natural activity often accompanies periods of heavy snowfall. The period with the greatest instability will be this afternoon into the evening then will gradually stabilize again.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Southwest winds will continue in the 10 to 20 mph range gusting into the 30s & 40s today before switching to the northwest this afternoon. Speeds should taper off then. We’ll see cloudy skies with snow showers possible increasing later this afternoon when we may see periods of heavy snowfall. Many areas should see around a foot of snow with more possible in areas favored by northwest flow. Lingering snow showers could hang around into mid day on Tuesday. Snow densities should be light with cold temperatures. Ridgetop highs will be in the mid 20s today and cool into the teens to single digits tonight.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wasatch Powderbird Guides didn’t get out on Sunday and most likely won’t get out today. Their operations planning page is here.

Beacon training parks are up and running! There is one at Snowbasin, one on the Park City side at the top of Canyon’s gondola toward the Tombstone lift, one in Little Cottonwood near the Snowbird parking structure on the bypass road, and in Big Cottonwood a training park is at the west end of Solitude's lower parking lot.

If you want to get this avalanche advisory e-mailed to you daily click HERE.

For a text only version, the link is on the left side bar, near the top.

UDOT highway avalanche control work info can be found by calling (801) 975-4838. Our statewide toll free line is 1-888-999-4019 (early morning, option 8).

The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work. To find out more about how you can support our efforts to continue providing the avalanche forecasting and education that you expect please visitour Friends page.

Your snow and avalanche observations can save someone’s life. Please let us know what you're seeing by leaving a message at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at uac@utahavalanchecenter.org. (Fax 801-524-6301).

The information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

Drew Hardesty will update this advisory by 7:30 tomorrow morning.


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.