Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Provo Area Mountains Issued by Evelyn Lees for Monday - April 10, 2017 - 7:01am
bottom line

It’s a predictable spring pattern – the Avalanche Danger is mostly LOW this morning, with possibility of triggering a few storm snow soft slabs or wind drifts at the upper elevations.

The avalanche danger will increase to MODERATE with daytime heating. Both natural and human triggered wet loose sluffs are possible today on steep slopes. The snow on north facing slopes may also heat during periods of high thin clouds.

Start early and finish early, and avoid travel on and beneath steep slopes and gullies as the snow heats up.
current conditions

Under clear skies, mountain temperatures dropped into the teens and low 20s in the Provo area mountains. Winds are backing to the southwest, and light – averaging 5 to 10 mph.

recent activity

New snow backcountry avalanches were reported from the south facing slopes of Cascade at around 9400' yesterday. There was also a late report of a wet loose slide on a steep, sunny slope with cliff bands from last Friday on Cascade Ridge.
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

With clear skies, warming temperatures and ferocious spring sun, the danger of wet loose slides will predictably jump today as the snow heats.

Heating happens fast this time of year, with the snow changing in a matter of minutes, not hours. Roller balls and small wet loose sluffs mean it’s time to rapidly get off of and out from under steep slopes. Head to lower angle terrain or a cooler aspect. Natural wet loose sluffs may occur today, so also avoid travel below steep slopes and gullies of all aspects. The wet loose slides could entrain snow as they run on the pre storm ice crusts, and will run further and have larger debris pile than expected.

High thin clouds are predicted for this afternoon, which could heat the snow on the shady slopes later in the day, often called “green housing”.
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

New snow instabilities stabilize rapidly this time of year. There will only be few places that the storm snow can still be triggered today – on an upper elevation, wind drifted slope.

Cornices: continue to stay well back from the edges of the huge cornices along the ridge lines and avoid travel beneath them. It’s very hard to realize how overhung they are.

Avalanche Problem 3
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description

Some great photos of Provo area glide cracks - and a comment from the UDOT Provo guys "Large deep glide cracks around Elk Point and Slide Canyon. One notable glide avalanche occurred this past week prior to the cool down. This weeks warm up could tip a few of these glide cracks past the breaking point and create large glide avalanches. "
weather

A beautiful spring day with clear skies this morning, light southwesterly winds and temperatures warming into the low 40s at 8,000’ and to near 30 at 10,000’. High thin clouds may move in this afternoon. Tuesday will be even warmer, with increasing clouds and a slight chance of afternoon and evening showers.

The southerly winds and temperatures will increase on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of a Thursday evening cold front. Cooler temperatures and a chance of snow will continue into Friday.
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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DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

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UDOT canyon closures: LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

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

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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 occur