Salt Lake Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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BOTTOM LINE

Danger by aspect and elevation on slopes approaching 35° or steeper.
(click HERE for tomorrow's danger rating)


Danger Rose Tutorial

We’re dealing with a MODERATE danger in steep wind affected terrain with fresh drifts. This MODERATE danger also includes the expected new snow which may form fresh drifts as well. Mid and especially upper elevation northerly facing slopes are the most suspect. A spike in precipitation rates often corresponds with a spike in natural avalanche activity so keep this in mind if there’s a period of heavy snow. Continued winds aren’t exactly helping stabilize the cornices so watch those as well. Out of the windy terrain the danger is generally LOW.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Turning conditions deteriorated from Saturday to Sunday with increased wind damage in the high terrain and warm temperatures making the snow damp especially at the lower elevations. Southerly winds have generally increased a bit overnight along the upper ridges gusting into the 30s and 40s. The winds look only somewhat breezy in the mid elevations. Temperatures are mild in the upper 20s at the 9000 foot level.


RECENT ACTIVITY

Most people found a stable snowpack for the most part again on Sunday with no significant avalanche activity reported. Yesterday’s weather forecast influenced the snowpack about as was expected with some drifting in the upper elevations and warm temperatures creating some minor wet activity at the lower elevations. (PHOTO) One party did note enough drifting in the Maybird drainage of Little Cottonwood to reassess and change their plans after finding some deeper drifts and experiencing some cracking. Another party noted a few small, shallow slabs would crack out from their skis in the higher terrain.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

The avalanche danger will rise a bit today with some continued winds and new snow. This morning the main threat will be spotty areas where recent drifts formed yesterday and overnight. This is mainly an upper elevation issue but you may find a few pockets in the mid elevations also. The wind direction has been southerly and areas like upper White Pine, Red Pine, Maybird and Hogum usually get disturbed pretty well by this making these areas more likely to have fresh drifts. As the snow piles up during the day you may encounter fresh drifting from this as well. The new snow will be fairly high density making it good for creating fresh slabs. These may be sensitive but may also just get plastered into place. Careful assessment is key. Test slopes, hand pits and shovel tilt tests should reveal any weakness that forms during the day. Cracking is always one of the most obvious signs of instability.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Cloudy skies with snow, mild temperatures and some wind sum it up for the weather today. Snow levels should start out fairly high in the 8000 foot range. I’m guessing we’ll see 2 to 6 inches of dense snow by this evening with most of the accumulation in the afternoon. Temperatures will max out near 40 at 8500 feet and in the upper 20s along the higher ridges. South west winds will continue about like they are now averaging 10 to 20 mph gusting into the 30s and 40s along the higher ridges. Mid elevation ridges will see gusts in the 10 to 20 mph range.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our web page is now mobile-friendly for users of iPhone and iPod Touch.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides flew yesterday in American Fork and Cascade. Today they most likely won’t fly due to weather. Operations planning page is here.

Beacon training parks are up and running! There is one at Snowbasin, one on the Park City side at the top of Canyon’s gondola toward the Tombstone lift, one in Little Cottonwood near the Snowbird parking structure on the bypass road, and in Big Cottonwood a training park is at the west end of Solitude's lower parking lot.

If you want to get this avalanche advisory e-mailed to you daily click HERE.

For a text only version, the link is on the left side bar, near the top.

UDOT highway avalanche control work info can be found by calling (801) 975-4838. Our statewide toll free line is 1-888-999-4019 (early morning, option 8).

The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work. To find out more about how you can support our efforts to continue providing the avalanche forecasting and education that you expect please visitour Friends page.

Your snow and avalanche observations can save someone’s life. Please let us know what you're seeing by leaving a message at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at uac@utahavalanchecenter.org. (Fax 801-524-6301).

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.

Drew Hardesty will update this advisory by 7:30 tomorrow morning.


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.


This advisory provided by the USDA Forest Service, in partnership with:

The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Unified Fire Authority and the friends of the La Sal Avalanche Center. See our Sponsors Page for a complete list.