Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We now have discount lift tickets available. Go to our Online Store or click this PURCHASELINK to Backcountry.com who is distributing them for us.

Also, I'll be giving a an avalanche talk at the Canyon Inn tonight at 7pm. There is a $5 entry fee that includes three raffle tickets. 21 years of age and older only. DETAILS


BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

Most terrain has a low avalanche danger. There are a few pockets that have a MODERATE avalanche danger. These areas include very steep northerly facing terrain where a human initiated sluff can entrain enough snow to pack a punch. Perhaps you could find a small slab to release in the highest terrain also. In general, I feel comfortable getting into almost any terrain with caution on the steepest northerly slopes.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Overnight we had PERFECT weather for near surface faceting; clear skies, light winds and cold temperatures. Just what we needed to jump start the metamorphism of the newest snow into junk just like the rest of our snowpack.


RECENT ACTIVITY

No significant activity was reported but human triggered sluffs are packing enough punch to bowl a person over if they should get hit from above. OBSERVATION


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Normal caution should be applied while traveling in the backcountry today. I’m including a few pockets of a MODERATE avalanche danger to remind folks about the larger sluffs and the remote chance of finding a small slab to break out. Both of these minor concerns will involve faceted snow in very steep terrain. It would be hard to get caught by a sluff as they’re very slow to get moving. Keep in mind that the sluff may remove most of the snow below you revealing rocks and making your descent difficult. Slabs are few and far between as the new snow was very low density and there wasn’t much wind over the last few days to promote slab formation. Also, the new snow is already starting to loosen due to the near surface faceting process.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Skies should cloud up today and we’ll see high temperatures in the mid 20s at 8000 feet and upper teens along the higher terrain. Winds will remain light from a westerly direction. The long term outlook continues to look bad. Looking at the 500mb level of the GFS model I see four more splitting systems to come through Dec 27th. As it looks now, the best we can hope for is minor dustings out of these. Constructive metamorphism will continue!


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 frequentlypostedby 10 pm each evening.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail clickHERE.

UDOT canyon closuresUDOTat (801) 975-4838

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

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 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.