Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Evelyn Lees for Friday - March 11, 2016 - 6:48am
bottom line

There is a MODERATE avalanche danger today for triggering new wind drifts, which will be most widespread on upper elevation slopes facing the north half of the compass. With continued warm temperatures, the avalanche danger of triggering a wet loose sluff will also increase to MODERATE with daytime heating, especially at the mid and low elevations.




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current conditions

Under mostly clear skies, it is warm and windy this morning. Temperatures at the mid elevation 7,500' to 8,800' stations in the Provo area mountains are in the low 40s, and the southerly winds averaging 15 mph, with gusts to 25 mph. Further north, the higher peaks are gusty, averaging 30 to 35 mph, with gusts in the 50s.

recent activity

Yesterday, sensitive wind slabs with graupel as the weak layer were found in the upper Y-couloir in Little Cottonwood. And definitely of interest was a slide into old snow, the first in weeks. It was triggered with explosives in the Cottonwoods – 2-3’ deep, on a northeast-facing slope at 10,800’.

Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

Today’s strong winds will find the last remaining dry snow to blow around into new wind slabs. These drifts will mostly be along the higher ridge lines, on northwest through northeasterly facing slopes, most sensitive where they are sitting on dry snow. But also look for and avoid drifts cross-loaded onto other aspect, and onto mid slope break overs, along gully walls and around sub ridges.

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

The winds are a plus today, helping to cool the snow. However, the lack of an overnight refreeze means triggering a wet loose sluff in steep terrain is still a possibility. Avoid steep slopes with unconsolidated unfrozen snow, such as on wind sheltered mid and low elevations, especially northerly. Even a small wet sluff can build up a significant debris piles at the bottom of a steep gullies or in a terrain trap like a creek bottom or below a road bank.

weather

It is going to be a blustery day, with steady southerly winds. Wind speeds across the high peaks could average 45 mph, with gusts into the 60s at times; mid elevation wind speeds of 30 mph, with gusts in the 40s will be common. Temperatures will warm into the mid to upper 30s at 10,000’ and the upper 50s at 8,000’. High thin clouds will increase throughout the day. Over the weekend, temperatures will start to cool, with a slight chance of snow. A larger storm is expected Monday/Tuesday.

general announcements

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please help us out by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to request a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911.  Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

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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 exist.