Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Bruce Tremper

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Utah Department of Transportation will conduct avalanche control with canons in Little Cottonwood Canyon this morning with closures at 6:30 and it should be open by 8:30. Be sure to bookmark their website where you can get updates or check the recording at: (801) 975-4838


BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

Terrain to avoid: All slopes approaching 35 degrees or steeper with recent wind deposits

All slopes approaching 35 degrees or steeper that face northeast, north, northwest and east above 8,000' that did not slide in the last storm. With new snow and wind, it's very difficult to tell which ones slid and which did not.

Overall, there is a Level 3 (Considerable) danger with pockets of Level 4 (High) danger.

Safer terrain: The riding conditions are excellent on slopes of 30 degrees or less, so there's no sense in rolling the dice on steeper terrain.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Overnight snow was a bit disappointing in most areas with only 4 inches with about 1/2 inch of water weight but Little Cottonwood Canyon ended up with 7-8 inches with about an inch of water weight. The snow started out on the dense side with graupel in the first inch or two at upper elevations with hard rain below about 7,000'. The winds were fairly strong when the front came through yesterday afternoon 25, gusting to 40 from the southwest turning to northwest. Temperatures this morning have cooled down to 15 degrees with winds continued a bit blustery 20, gusting to 30 along most of the ridges.


RECENT ACTIVITY

No backcountry avalanche activity was reported from yesterday.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Although most of the avalanches you will see today will be from wind slabs, the most dangerous avalanches will be from the deep slabs, which are deep, large avalanches breaking to layers of depth hoar buried 2 - 5 feet deep in the snowpack. They are the classic low probability - high consequence avalanche. In other words, hard for a person to trigger, but if you do trigger one of these monsters, you will most like not survive.

The good news is that about 80 percent of all the steep north through east facing slopes slid during the big storm last weekend, but the bad news is that there are still some random areas that are still hanging in the balance, just waiting for a thump from someone like you or me. With a couple smaller snowstorms with wind this past week, it's getting quite hard to tell which slopes slid and which did not. Luckily, the riding conditions are quite good on gentler terrain and that's where you will find the smart ones, including me.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Winds blew fairly hard during the frontal passage yesterday afternoon and overnight 30, gusting to 40 from the southwest changing to the northwest. This created wind slabs that I could crack out yesterday afternoon. The storm started out with graupel (that Styrafoam ball snow that stings your face), and that may provide an easier shear on the bottom of the wind slabs.

As always, avoid all steep slopes with recent wind deposits, which you will find on a variety of aspects, especially on upper elevation east facing slopes. Wind slabs look smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow or feel punchy. Some of these wind slabs may step down as they descend, creating a deep slab avalanche, which will be much more dangerous.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Skies should clear out quickly today and winds should blow 15, gusting to 25 from the northwest with ridge top temperatures around 15 degrees.

The extended forecast calls for a well-deserved rest period for us avalanche forecasters as long as everyone behaves themselves. We don't want to do any accident investigations. There is a weak storm forecast for the last day of January.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

Wasatch Powderbird Guides does daily updates about where they'll be operating on this blog http://powderbird.blogspot.com/ .

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.

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.