Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Drew Hardesty for Sunday - January 29, 2017 - 6:47am
bottom line

A MODERATE avalanche danger exists in the southern Wasatch on all aspects and elevations. Human triggered slides are possible with new wind drifts, but also for lingering mid-pack weaknesses 1-3' deep. Last, but not least, the danger for wet avalanches on the steep sunlit slopes will rise to MODERATE with daytime warming...and may rise toward Considerable.




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current conditions

Skies are clear. Mountain temperatures are in the mid to upper 20s. Winds remain out of the north, blowing 15-20mph with gusts to 25. Sun and wind damage exists on the sunny aspects and in the open, exposed terrain, but you'll still find soft settled powder in the mid and low elevation sheltered glades. With over 90-120" on the ground at the mid and upper elevations, the Provo snowpack sits at 150-200% of normal. Coverage and conditions are some of the best in years.

recent activity

We didn't hear of any avalanche activity in the Provo mountains yesterday; however we have fewer people out and about prodding the snow and checking for instability.

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

We need more data points, but those traveling in the Provo mountains have not found these avalanches to be as reactive as in the mountains to the north. Still, due to the unpredictability and dangerous character of this structure, caution is warranted on steep slopes, particularly at the mid and low elevations. Added info from SLC below-

Evidence based information: at least eight human triggered persistent slabs reported since Tuesday. Subtle to thunderous whoomphs and collapses noted as the storm snow collapses the weak surface hoar and facets that were not destroyed prior to last week's storm. Many of these triggered at a distance, fracturing out above the skier, or just adjacent to other tracks on the slope. The weakest and most suspect terrain is at the mid and low elevations on many aspects, but predominantly - but not all - on north to southeast facing slopes.

Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

There is plenty of snow available for transport and wind drifts should be considered suspect and avoided in steep upper elevation terrain. Drifts often appear rounded, scalloped, or otherwise textured and form in the lee of terrain features such as rocky outcrops and sub-ridges. These drifts may be more sensitive than usual as some of them may be siting on small surface hoar or granular faceted snow formed Thursday night.

Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 12 hours
description

Cold, dry snow under the heat lamp and with mountain temps rising into the mid 20s at 10,000' will conspire to dampen the snow surfaces on the steep sunlit slopes. With prolonged dampening, both natural and especially human triggered wet avalanches will be likely with daytime warming. Please choose terrain to avoid the steep sun-drenched slopes by midday - particularly those above roads and infrastructure. The danger may rise toward Considerable with extended warming....

weather

Clear skies, moderate though gusty northerly winds, and temps rising to near freezing at 8500' today. High pressure builds throughout the region over the next few days. Storms passing by to the north of us will attempt to flatten the ridge, but we'll only see clouds and increased west to northwest winds through mid-week. Longer range models offer some hope for something next weekend.

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.