Provo Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Little Cottonwood Canyon is closed for avalanche control work and should reopen by 8:30am.

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

While the avalanche danger could spike to CONSIDERABLE during the day, most terrain has a MODERATE avalanche danger. MODERATE means human triggered avalanches are possible. Factors that could spike the avalanche danger are more snow or wind than anticipated or if the sun pops out. Choose terrain carefully and consider what your options are if any of these factors occur.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

This storm produced! The upper Cottonwoods picked up another foot to foot and a half of snow (.75” to 1.25” H2O) and the Park City Ridgeline is in the 9 inch range. Sundance received 2 feet since 4pm on Sunday! Temperatures continue to drop into the teens. There’s been very little wind with this storm. It’s been from the southwest. You will want to choose terrain carefully today as travel may be difficult in the upper Cottonwoods due to too much new snow.

Snow stake (B&W 6 inch increments) comparison from March 17th to 19th, Atwater site at Alta Guard.


RECENT ACTIVITY

There was no significant avalanche activity reported from the backcountry on Sunday. Actually, things were very well behaved and those who were out reported a great powder day without much hazard. Overnight there were natural avalanches during the burst of snowfall around midnight. A number of avalanches came close or kissed the Little Cottonwood Highway during this period.

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

It’s all about the new snow today. I’m guessing things will be well behaved again but there are a few factors that could spike the avalanche danger. First, the danger will spike IF we have a longer and more intense period of snowfall than anticipated. Second, the danger will spike IF the westerly winds increase more than anticipated. Third, the danger will spike IF the sun pops out and hits the new snow. So, I think there’s great potential for another outstanding powder day but you have to pay attention to what’s going on out there. Upper elevations that didn’t receive too much snow will be your best bet.

THREAT #2
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 10 hours.

You’ll still find the underlying snow at the mid and lower elevations to be wet. Even so, I suspect the cooling trend we just went through will help keep avalanche activity to a minimum at those locations. Keep in mind that it is spring time and the snow can become damp from heat very rapidly. If you notice this, it’s time to make tracks out of there.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

The storm is not totally done with us making it a somewhat difficult weather forecast. We’ll see a break in snowfall this morning and west or northwest winds should stay in check. We could still see periods of locally intense snowfall this morning and into the afternoon which could add up to another 6 inches. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the sun pops out for a period either. Chances for snow become less this afternoon. We’ll have partly cloudy skies on Tuesday and a rapid warm up following through the later portion of the week.

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 and Park City – 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.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone http://utahavalanchecenter.org/twitter)

Daily observations are frequentlypostedby 10 pm each evening.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail clickHERE.

UDOT canyon closuresUDOTat (801) 975-4838

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

Remember your information can save lives.If you see anything we should know about, please 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.

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.