Salt Lake Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Brett Kobernik

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

There are a number of slots open for our Advanced Avalanche Workshop later this month. Brett Kobernik will lead this class which will focus on our remarkable weak layer formation this year and persistent weakness in general. DETAILS

There are also a few slots open in Evelyn's womens Backcountry 101. DETAILS

BOTTOM LINE

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


Danger Rose Tutorial

Most areas have a MODERATE avalanche danger but there are pockets of a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger in the mid to upper elevation northwest through east aspects that have old weak snow with a recent slab on top. It is hard to judge which slopes have a slab present until you’re already on them so, unless you’re absolutely sure, it’s best to avoid the steep terrain. Watch any recent deposits of wind drifted snow as well. I’m fairly comfortable on most terrain right now but still avoiding steep slopes with a slab over facets.

CURRENT CONDITIONS

Under some high clouds, temperatures continued to warm overnight into the mid to upper 20s at most locations. North northeast winds are generally pretty light with some moderate gusts along the more exposed peaks.

RECENT ACTIVITY

No new avalanche activity was reported from Sunday. Collapsing, however, continues to be a theme in backcountry observations. This is in areas where a slab has been formed from wind mainly from last weekend but to some extent the most recent storm as well. These slabs sit on weak sugary snow which is causing the collapsing detailed well in THIS OBSERVATION from Matt Primomo.

THREAT #1
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Aside from rocks and stumps that are hardly covered by our thin snowpack, the biggest threat is finding a pocket in steep terrain which collapses and releases on the old weak snow. The continued reports of collapsing reinforce this possibility. Buried faceted snow is nothing to take lightly. Many of the savvy backcountry travelers I know continue to avoid steep terrain that has a slab over facets.

THREAT #2
WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

There may be a few relatively harmless recently fresh wind slabs that may crack out under your weight today as well. Alone, these don't pose much threat but combined with a persistent slab, it's a different story.

MOUNTAIN WEATHER

It looks like a nice day in store today with mostly clear skies, mild temperatures and light north or northeast winds. Temperatures should get up around freezing along the ridges. High pressure continues Tuesday before a trough clips northern Utah cooling temperatures and bumping wind speeds slightly. You guessed it, no snow will come from this. A high pressure ridge will be the dominant feature through the end of the model run which puts us out toward the end of the month.

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)

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

Daily observations are frequentlypostedby 10 pm each evening.

Subscribe to the daily avalanche advisory e-mail clickHERE.

UDOT canyon closuresUDOTat (801) 975-4838

Wasatch Powderbird Guides are suspending the opening of helicopter skiing operations. Once we have enough snow cover, daily updates to this bloghttp://powderbird.blogspot.com/will begin for the 2011-2012 season.

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

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.

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.