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

The avalanche danger is mostly Level 1 (LOW). There are pockets of Level 2 (MODERATE) avalanche danger for lingering wind slabs along the upper elevation ridges as well as for minor heat initiated activity on southerly facing slopes at all elevations and all aspects at lower elevations. Deep slabs can’t be totally ruled out with low probability/high consequences mostly outside of the Tri-canyons.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

Under partly cloudy skies we have temperatures in the mid 20s with light winds from the southwest with a few moderate speed gusts. A trace to a couple of inches of snow fell Monday.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Use normal caution in the backcountry today. It’s not a completely LOW danger out there. Lingering pockets where winds blew snow into drifts along ridges may still be active. Wet activity within the newest snow may produce some “dribblers” or small point releases. These two issues should be fairly easy to avoid and won’t pose much threat today. Deep slabs are still in the back of my mind especially out of the Cottonwoods in shallower snowpack areas. We have had substantial settlement over the last 4 days which should’ve helped strengthen the pack. While I think deep slab releases are pretty unlikely, I’m still not quite at ease traveling into some of the higher elevation steeper northerly facing avalanche terrain. I really want to see a good snow storm with no avalanches breaking deep before I’m satisfied.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

We’ll see clouds, mild ridgetop temperatures in the upper 20s to low 30s and light southwest winds with some moderate speed gusts along the ridges. There’s a slight chance for a flurry with no real accumulation expected. A fairly decent little storm is shaping up for Wednesday into Thursday with a foot or so of snow possible.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams 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.

Salt Lake – Alta Central (801-742-2033)

Ogden – Snowbasin Patrol Dispatch (801-620-1017)

Provo – Sundance Patrol Dispatch (801-223-4150)

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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.

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

UDOT canyon closures UDOT at (801) 975-4838

You have the opportunity to participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting avalanche and snow observations. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, or email by clicking HERE

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.