The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on all steep slopes, especially those with recent drifts of windblown snow. Very sensitive slides, breaking on surface hoar, can be triggered from a distance, and can release on unusually low angle slopes, of 30 degrees of less. Be aware of the location of other people, so you don’t inadvertently trigger a slide on another group below you. In addition, there remain pockets of CONSIDERABLE danger for triggering a 2 to 4 foot deep, dangerous slab avalanche on the steeper northwest through north through northeast facing slopes at the mid and upper elevations. CONSIDERABLE means dangerous avalanche conditions exist - natural avalanches are possible, and human triggered slides are likely.

Light snow is just starting to fall in the mountains, and temperatures are in the mid to upper teens above 10,000’. The wind speeds have been significant over the past 24 hours – yesterday from a southwesterly direction, and currently from the northwest. Speeds are fast enough to drift the light, new snow – generally 15 to 20 mph, with gusts to 30, with the higher ridgelines averaging closer to 30 mph, with gusts in the 50’s. Snow totals since Wednesday night are 10” at the higher elevations in the Ogden and Salt Lake mountains, with about ½ that on the Park City side and in the Provo mountains.

The buried surface hoar was very sensitive yesterday. In Mill B South, below 9,000’, there was a remotely triggered soft slab, 6" to 3 feet deep by 200’ wide on a 30 degree slope and in Lambs Canyon an intentionally triggered, 6" deep by 300’ wide soft slab, both were on northeast facing slopes. Last night, a tourer found very sensitive conditions along the Honeycomb ridgeline, with hair trigger releases of the chutes, wall to wall, 6" to 1.5' deep.

Weak disturbances in a moist northwest flow will continue to cross northern Utah today and tonight. For today, periods of light snow should drop another 3 to 6”, especially in areas favored by northwest flow. The winds will remain from the northwest, averaging 10 to 20 mph. However, the higher ridgelines will average closer to 25, and gust into the 50’s. Temperatures will be near 30 at 8,000’, and in the upper teens at 10,000’. A few more inches of snow are possible tonight, with slightly stronger northwesterly winds. Sunday will be partly cloudy and breezy.

Please contact Alta Central (801-742-2033) if you trigger a large avalanche in the backcountry, especially if you are adjacent to a ski area, to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

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Wasatch Powderbird Guides flight plan.

Dawn Patrol Forecast Hotline, updated by 05:30:888-999-4019 option 8.

Daily observations are frequently posted by 10 pm each evening.

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UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

We appreciate all your avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or email to uac@utahavalanchecenter.org

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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 forecast tomorrow morning. Thanks for calling.