Salt Lake Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Evelyn Lees

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

The danger of human-triggered wet loose avalanches will quickly rise to at least MODERATE by mid morning, and may rise to CONSIDERABLE with natural avalanches possible. As the day heats up, stay off of, and out from underneath, steep slopes.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Under clear skies, it’s once again a balmy non freezing morning in the mountains, with temperatures generally in the mid 30s to low 40s. Comparisons to yesterday’s morning temperatures are tricky, with some stations as much as 5 degrees warmer, while others are a few degrees cooler. (Check here or here for the station nearest you.) The southerly ridge top winds have increased into the 15 to 20 mph range at more exposed locations. If you’re hoping for a repeat of yesterday’s good corn conditions – I think it will be in upper elevation, open bowls, where the clear overnight skies and cooling winds should have given the snow surface a decent refreeze. Snow at the lower elevations and in the trees will be wet and soggy.


RECENT ACTIVITY

There was an increase in wet loose avalanche activity yesterday, with numerous reports of class one and two naturals. In the Ogden area, several were observed on northeasterly facing slopes, around 8500 ft, running 700' vert. A bit further south, activity was on east through southerly facing slopes, with wet sluffs reported in Little Pine, Superior, Toledo, Cardiac Ridge, East Face of Kessler, Hogum ridge into American Fork and No Name.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

Once again, wet loose avalanches will be the main avalanche concern today. Anywhere the snow surface gets wet and sloppy, it will be easy to push, or trigger, wet loose sluffs on steep slopes. This includes northerly facing slopes as they heat up. Depending on the cloud cover and winds, natural avalanches may be possible again today. So start and end your day early, and switch aspects once the snow you’re on gets wet. Do numerous quick observations of how thick and hard the frozen snow surface is where you are, and get off steep slopes as the snow heats. Steeper slopes above you may heat up faster, and be less stable than the low angle terrain where you’re traveling.

In addition, a prolonged period of warming always put everyone on edge, because there is the possibility for some erratic odd ball avalanche activity on some strange aspect or elevation. So be aware, there is the slight chance for a slab release failing on wet snow, either within the upper layers of the pack, or near the ground in shallow snow pack of the lower elevations or rocky areas. In addition, avoid travel or hanging out under the opening glide cracks, which could release at any time.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

A Pacific storm system is pushing its way east toward Utah today. Ahead of the front, it’s another snow melting warm and windy day. Temperatures will reach the mid 50s at 8,000’ and remain in the mid to upper 30s at 10,000’. This morning’s mostly clear skies will rapidly give way to high, thin clouds by late morning, thickening by afternoon, with a slight chance of late day showers or thunderstorms. The southerly winds will gradually increase into the 20 to 30 mph range, with gusts to 40. Across the highest terrain, expect speeds 10 mph faster, with gusts in the 50s by evening. The cold storm arrives on Sunday, with the heaviest snow Sunday afternoon through Monday. A foot or more of snow is possible at the higher mountain elevations. Cold, unsettled weather will persist through the end of the week.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

A camera found on east face of Lone Peak around the 18th. If it’s yours, call Tyson at 801-573-3146.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides did not fly yesterday, and will not fly today. Check their operations planning page is here.

Our web site is now formatted for iPhone. You can also download a free iPhone application from Canyon Sports to display the Bottom Line. Search for Utah Avalanche on the Apple's iPhone Apps page or in iTunes.

The North American Avalanche Danger Scale is being revised for next winter. Our friends in Canada have created a short survey found at the following link. Please help ensure the new Avalanche Danger Scale is effective by completing a survey. http://surveys.globalepanel.com/wix/p319164581.aspx

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).

Donate to your favorite non-profit – The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center. 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.

Brett kobernik 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.