Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Drew Hardesty

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

It's the kitchen sink out there folks - plenty of avalanche issues to be concerned with -

There is a mostly MODERATE avalanche danger for today for yesterday's lingering wind slabs. They're most pronounced at the steep mid and upper elevations on the north through southeast facing slopes. Rapid warming may conspire to keep these sensitive for the first part of the day. Pockets of CONSIDERABLE danger exists are in mid and upper elevation wind effected terrain where it may be still be possible to step down to weaknesses adjacent to last week's dust layer. They're more likely to be triggered on the steeper north through east facing slopes. Wet and dry sluffing in last night's cold smoke is certain on the steeper lines - Watch for the sun to heat up the new snow this morning and heat initiated wet activity will have a MODERATE danger on east through south through west aspects.

Today's advisory written mostly by Wendy Wagner and approved by Drew Hardesty


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Wind and snow from Yesterday morning scoured exposed westerly aspects depositing much of the snow onto the easterly slopes. Snow conditions were creamy dense powder in sheltered locations with upper elevations seeing more wind damage. Overnight another 6-8 inches of 5-7% density snow fell in the Cottonwoods with slightly less in the Provo area mountains. Ogden picked up little to no snow from last nights storm. Winds this morning are light at most locations from the west with the higher stations reporting a few short-lived gusts into the low 40s. Temperatures have dropped into the low to mid teens and single digits at upper locations.


RECENT ACTIVITY

It was like a carnival of wind slabs yesterday with nearly everyone coming home with a prize. Most were soft and hard slabs from the stronger westerly winds, but there were some very significant slides all the same. One very close call in Upper Days Fork partially buried a skier and overran a party of two stopped in the trees at the bottom, burying their gear while they hung onto a tree to keep from getting caught. The skier triggered slide was around 200’ wide with the crown 2’ deep failing just under last Tuesday's dirt later. Other significant avalanches reported was a large natural in the upper reaches of Broads Fork beneath O'Sullivan Peak and another in the upper reaches of Box Elder (perhaps feeding into White Canyon). The latter initiated by cornice fall. These estimated to be 2-3' deep with the Broads slide perhaps 250' wide. There were several skier triggered soft slabs in the Brighton backcountry and Mill Creek area. These slides seem to be running on a variety of weakness, mainly within the storm snow density change however, a few have been reported at failing just above or below the dirt layer.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

Wind slab and soft slab avalanches will again be a main concern for today. The weakness within the storm snow from yesterday’s wind and snow event may still be sensitive. These may are buried anywhere from 6” to 20" deep and are most pronounced on north through southeast aspects where the westerly winds have transported and deposed snow.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

We are up to 2-3" of snow as of March 31st. This is sitting on a dirt layer formed Tuesday March 30th. The past 4 days slides have been failing just a few centimeters above this dirt layer in the older storm snow density change. It is possible this weakness still has not settled out. Yesterday reports came in of slides breaking just under the dirt layer, possibly a sign this dirt layer can still be active. With a number of impulses of snow since the 31st, we're seeing a variety of failure planes that exist within the past few days of storm snow and crust.


THREAT #3

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

With 6 to 8” of light density snow overnight expect to see dry loose snow sluffing on most aspects and elevations. With clearing skies this morning the intense spring sun will likely heat the easterly and southerly facing aspects rapidly making wet loose snow avalanches a significant concern.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

We should see clearing this morning with cloud cover building back in this afternoon ahead of Monday and Tuesday’s storm. Winds are currently light and should increase later today from the southwest, gusting into the 20’s on ridges. Temperatures should climb into the upper 20’s and low 30’s with the warmer southerly flow. Tomorrow's cold front and lingering instability may produce 1-2' through Wednesday.


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 or www.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. To get the last few tickets left for Park City, Beaver Mountain, and Sundance – click here at discounted prices.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides flight plan.

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

Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

Free UAC iPhone app from Canyon Sports.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail click HERE.

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

We appreciate all your avalanche 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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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.

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.