Salt Lake Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

The avalanche danger starts out generally LOW today on all aspects. Keep in mind there may be a lingering wind slab in the upper elevation northerly facing terrain that could push you into terrain with serious consequences. As the day goes on wet activity will be the primary concern and the danger will rise to at least MODERATE. Watch for the snow to become damp especially on steep sunny slopes indicating it's time to move on and stay clear of gully bottoms.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Overnight temperatures were in the mid teens to low 20s along the ridges and winds are generally light from the west. Yesterdays fresh powder has shrunk in distribution from all aspects yesterday morning to only more northerly aspects this morning after the sun did it's thing. There was enough wind to keep temperatures in check and I was pleasantly surprised to still find good cold powder in mid elevation northeast facing slopes at the end of the day. Late afternoon convective clouds bubbled up and aided a bit in further preserving the powder. You'll want to get on it early today as this morning will be about the last of it.


RECENT ACTIVITY

Avalanche activity on Saturday involved mainly harmless small wind slabs that a handful of people triggered. These really would only pose a threat if you were in exposed terrain where they might knock you off balance and push you over cliffs, rocks or into trees. There was also some skier initiated wet avalanche activity on Saturday. Unless you are standing directly below one of these they don't pose much threat either as it is usually very obvious when you initiate one of them and they are slow to get moving making them easy to avoid before they start to get momentum.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 8 hours.

Heat related avalanche activity will be the main focus today. The new snow will become wet and loose as the sun heats southerly facing slopes. I'd expect a number of the mid and lower elevation steep chutes to flush as the newest cold snow heats up for the first time as well. It's probably not the day to explore those couliors such as in lower north facing Little Cottonwood unless you're standing at the top of one right now. Even though a chute can be facing due north there can be adjacent sunny slopes that can release and funnel into the chute.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

If you're getting into the more serious upper elevation terrain keep in mind there may be a lingering wind slab or two. Place ski cuts in all starting zones and pay attention to what's below you if something should release.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Today will be the first of a several day warming trend. Temperatures should get into the mid 30s along the ridges. A slight increase in west winds through the day may help counteract the heat. We should see mostly clear skies and I'm not expecting convective clouds to bubble up this afternoon. Monday warms a bit more with very mild temperatures Monday night. We're looking at another disorganized system for mid week that ultimately, once again, closes off and drifts to our south.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The ability to deal with medical emergencies is a vital backcountry travel skill. On April 9-11, Utah Wilderness Safety will be conducting a Wilderness & Remote First Aid course in SLC. As an added bonus, WMS has agreed to donate a percent of the class proceeds to the FUAC. For more details, go to our events calendar or www.utahwildernesssafety.com/FIRST-AID.html.

SLC: 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.

Ogden: Please contact Snowbasin ski patrol (801620-1000/1017) 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.

Provo: Please contact Sundance ski patrol (801 -223-4150) 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.

Discount Lift tickets: Ski Utah, Backcountry.com and the local resorts donated lift tickets, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Utah Avalanche Center. To get the last few tickets left for Park City, Beaver Mountain, and Sundance – click here at discounted prices.

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.

Free UAC iPhone app from Canyon Sports.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail click HERE.

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 fill out the observation form on our home page.

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.

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.


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.