Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Mark Staples for Tuesday - March 15, 2016 - 7:34am
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On upper elevation slopes the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE where you can find fresh wind slabs that may be easy to trigger. At mid elevations the avalanche danger is MODERATE where you can still find some wind slabs.
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current conditions

It's great to see winter come back for a visit.

  • This morning temperatures are in the upper teens to low 20's F at 8000 feet.
  • Most of the snowfall in the Provo area occurred Monday morning and little fell last night. Storm totals are 5-7 inches of snow containing 0.5-0.7 inches of water.
  • Winds are blowing 10 mph gusting to 20 mph from the NW.
Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

The Provo area received less snow than areas further north, but I still think there are plenty of fresh wind slabs at the upper elevations that will be easy to trigger. Wind slabs can be tricky because they can stabilize at different rates depending on a variety of factors. This means you may test a few on small slopes that seem well bonded and unreactive, but you may hop on another that will fracture and make a small avalanche. I'd avoid wind loaded slopes today and give those fresh wind slabs a little more time to bond.
weather

Today, snowfall may linger through the morning but increase a bit this afternoon and evening and deliver another 3-5 inches of snow by tomorrow morning. Temperatures will climb a few degrees today but should remain in the teens F above 9000 feet. Winds should blow 10-20 mph generally from the west before shifting to the NW this evening.
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.