Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Drew Hardesty for Thursday - November 17, 2016 - 7:23am
bottom line

There isn't really enough snow on which to recreate. We'll issue updates as conditions warrant.




current conditions

Left standing at the altar of storms yet again. As of 6am, the Provo area mountains boast maybe just a trace of snow. Winds are generally from the north and northwest, blowing 10-15mph along the highest, most exposed ridgelines.

The temperatures make the headlines above the fold. Current temperatures are in the upper teens at 8000' - a far cry from the mountain temps in the mid-40s yesterday and the upper-50s the day before.

All the new snow coming in will be landing on bare, dry ground on all but the strictly due north and slightly northeast terrain above about 9500'. In those areas sit roughly 1-3" of very weak faceted snow - leftovers from early season storms. This is an estimate. If and when we finally get enough of a storm, the high northerly terrain will be most prone for avalanching.

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

If there's enough snow to slide upon, there's enough snow to slide. Most early seasons have close calls and near-misses, even tragic fatalities. These early season incidents are compounded by the thin early snowpack. In other words, while many accidents may not involve full burials, traumatic injury is likely as one gets dragged through the thinly veiled rocks, stumps, and deadfall.

Also, check out our Education and Events tabs in the Menu at the top of the page - we have lots of education and free awareness classes scheduled in a location near you.

weather

Looks like we may squeeze another couple - three inches out of the departing storm. Skies should become mostly cloudy and then thin to partly cloudy ahead of clearing skies for tomorrow into the weekend. Ridgetop winds today will be 10-15mph from the northwest and dying as the day wears on. Mountain temps will be in the teens, warming back to the upper 30s by the weekend. Increased southwest flow accompanying the mostly sunny skies this weekend hint at the the next Pacific storm as it builds off the coast. This storm looks to split before moving into northern Utah on Monday, though I wouldn't entirely write this thing off just yet. The models suggest a continued active pattern with another storm rolling through later Wednesday. Stay tuned.

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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Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts: it is critical to know the resort policy on uphill travel. You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here.

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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.