In partnership with: The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center, Utah Department of
Public Safety Division of Comprehensive Emergency Management, Salt Lake County,
and Utah State Parks
Good morning, this is Drew
Hardesty with the
Current Conditions:
The Wasa
Avalanche Conditions:
The avalanche danger will be
on the rise today with already a foot of snow in the past 24 hours and another
10-16” expected during the day. We will
have two avalanche problems to deal with: avalanches occurring in the heavier
new and winddrifted snow on top of yesterday’s light
density snow, and avalanches stepping down and reactivating our buried weak
layers. Keep in mind that avalanches
failing on surface hoar will slide on slopes as low as 30 degrees and may pull
adjacent slopes with it. Both natural
and human triggered avalanches are likely and those breaking down to the buried
surface hoar and faceted snow will be large and difficult to survive. Remember
that strong winds will drift snow well off the ridgelines and in unusual places
and cornices may break back further than expected. Those without good routefinding
skills will want to avoid being on or underneath steep terrain.
Bottom Line (
The avalanche danger is HIGH today on northwest through
east slopes above 9500’ and steeper than about 35 degrees. The danger will be CONSIDERABLE
on 30-35 degree slopes and in any terrain where there are recent deposits of
wind drifted snow.
Mountain Weather:
A heavy snow warning has been issued and the Wasa
For specific digital forecasts for selected mountain areas from the
National Weather Service, click the links below or choose your own specific
location at the National
Weather Service Digital Forecast Page:
3-Day Table |
3-Day Graph |
7-Day Table |
General
Information:
Starting today, Alta Ski Area will be closed to uphill traffic because of
avalanche control and slope preparation for their opening on Thursday.
If
you are getting into the backcountry, please give us a call and let us know what
you’re seeing, especially if you trigger an avalanche. You can leave a message at 524-5304 or
1-800-662-4140. Or you can e-mail an
observation to uac@avalanche .org, or you can fax an
observation to 801-524-4030.
The
information in this advisory is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely
responsible for its content. This
advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always
occur.
We
will update this advisory tomorrow morning.
Thanks for calling
_____________________________________________________________________________
For more detailed weather
information go to our Mountain Weather Advisory
National
Weather Service - Salt Lake City - Snow.
For an explanation of
avalanche danger ratings:
http://www.avalanche.org/usdanger.htm