Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Bruce Tremper

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Through a generous donation by Backcountry.com to our partners the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center we will continue forecasting until April 24th. I will issue a combination of early morning weekend forecasts and mid week afternoon updates, with weekend only updates for the Logan and Uintas area mountains. Thank You!!

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

The avalanche danger is mostly MODERATE (Level 2) with pockets of CONSIDERABLE (Level 3) for wind slabs in mid and upper elevation, wind exposed terrain and MODERATE (Level 2) for wet, loose avalanches as the steep, sun exposed slopes as they heat up in the sun.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

There was 2-4 more inches of snow overnight on top of the 2-4 inches of snow that fell yesterday. Light snow is still falling this morning. Winds from the west took a long time to die down. The winds blew very hard yesterday afternoon with the passage of some thunderstorms and there was quite a bit of drifting. Temperatures stayed cool with ridge top temperatures in the teens this morning.

RECENT ACTIVITY

With very strong winds yesterday afternoon there was fairly widespread soft, wind slabs from both explosive triggered control work and reported from the backcountry. One skier on Flagstaff, north of Alta triggered a wind slab but was luckily able to escape to the side. Click HERE for a report from Flagstaff.

THREAT #1
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

The main problem you will find on Friday is wind slabs from yesterday's very strong winds and continued moderate winds overnight combined with snow. As is often the case this time of year, they settle out fast but perhaps not fast enough for today's outing. It's easy to recognize them by their smooth, rounded shape, their punchy feel and they will sometimes crack and sound hollow. As always, avoid steep slopes with recent wind deposits.

THREAT #2
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 18 hours.

Skies should clear later today as the low level moisture and wind diminish. Strong spring sun will beat down on the fresh snow making it turn soggy in a hurry. As always, avoid steep slopes when they get wet in the heat of the sun.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

There is enough low level moisture combined with wind from the west to keep clouds around the mountains this morning and even a few more snow showers. But it should clear out later as moisture and winds drop off. We should have sunny skies this afternoon. Temperatures are cold--in the teens on the ridges--but they should warm up to the mid 20's later today and to the mid 30's down at 8,000'.

Enjoy it while you can because--you guessed it--yet another disturbance will arrive for Saturday and Sunday bring more snow showers. We may be able to squeeze 8 more inches of snow out of this weekend's storm at upper elevations.

See the Cottonwood Canyons forecast.

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams 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.

Salt Lake – Alta Central (801-742-2033)

Ogden – Snowbasin Patrol Dispatch (801-620-1017)

Provo – Sundance Patrol Dispatch (801-223-4150)

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

Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

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

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

You have the opportunity to participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or email by clicking HERE

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.

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 either Friday night or Saturday 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.