Advisory: Provo Area Mountains | utahavalanchecenter.org

Avalanche Advisory

Advisory: Provo Area Mountains	Issued by Evelyn Lees for Thursday - February 8, 2018 - 6:36am

bottom line

The snow is stable in most areas and avalanches are generally unlikely. But LOW danger does not mean no danger. Avalanches stepping into old snow remain possible in isolated steep terrain with poor snow structure. The most experienced people are still avoiding the bulls-eye avalanche terrain - steep, north and northeast facing slopes at the mid and upper elevations. The danger increases with elevation in the Provo area mountains.

Small wind drifts can also be triggered today on steep slopes.

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current conditions

It’s a warm morning, with temperatures in the twenties under clear skies. The wind direction ranges from southwest to northwest, with 10 to 15 mph averages, and gusts just a bit stronger.

A lack of low elevation snow makes travel difficult in the Provo area mountains.

Timpanogos Divide - 16"

Aspen Grove - 8"

Bunnells - 26"

recent activity

No recent reports from the Provo area mountains.

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 Although unlikely, persistent slab avalanches remain possible in isolated steep terrain, especially at the upper elevations of the Provo area mountains. The most experienced people are still avoiding the bulls-eye terrain - steep, north and northeast facing slopes, especially those that are rocky, wind loaded or have a shallow snowpack. These are the slopes where you are most likely to trigger one of these deeper slab avalanches. · Widespread buried faceted layers appear dormant now, and persistent slab avalanches are unlikely, but if you trigger one it will be dangerous. · Pay attention to possible signs of instability like cracking and whumpfing or collapsing, but remember these signs may not be present so you have to dig down and look for the poor snow structure. · If you choose to travel on steep slopes, select slopes with clean run outs, where a mistake in your stability evaluation won’t send you rocketing off a cliff, into trees or into a gully. A video by Drew discussing terrain choices yesterday - stil applicable today.

type

aspect/elevation

characteristics

LIKELIHOOD

LIKELY

UNLIKELY

SIZE

LARGE

SMALL

TREND

INCREASING DANGER

SAME

DECREASING DANGER

over the next 12 hours

description

Although unlikely, persistent slab avalanches remain possible in isolated steep terrain, especially at the upper elevations of the Provo area mountains. The most experienced people are still avoiding the bulls-eye terrain - steep, north and northeast facing slopes, especially those that are rocky, wind loaded or have a shallow snowpack. These are the slopes where you are most likely to trigger one of these deeper slab avalanches.

· Widespread buried faceted layers appear dormant now, and persistent slab avalanches are unlikely, but if you trigger one it will be dangerous.

· Pay attention to possible signs of instability like cracking and whumpfing or collapsing, but remember these signs may not be present so you have to dig down and look for the poor snow structure.

· If you choose to travel on steep slopes, select slopes with clean run outs, where a mistake in your stability evaluation won’t send you rocketing off a cliff, into trees or into a gully.

A video by Drew discussing terrain choices yesterday - stil applicable today.

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 The westerly winds have been blowing on and off for days. Expect to find a few wind drifts along the ridgelines, most widespread on slopes with an easterly aspect. Avoid steep slopes with wind drifts, which often look smooth and rounded, or are on slopes below small, new cornices. Old drifts may be hard and hollow sounding.

weather

Another warm day is on tap, with mountain temperatures soaring into the 30s and 40s. Skies will be mostly clear, with a few high thin clouds passing over. The winds will vary from southwest to northwest, average 5 to 15 mph at the mid elevations. Speeds across the high peaks could reach averages of 20 to 30 mph at times, with gusts to 40s. Increasing winds on Friday, with a chance for a few snow showers on Saturday and cooler temperatures.snow is Saturday.

general announcements

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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.

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