* TIMING...THROUGH 6 AM MST THURSDAY

* AFFECTED AREA...ALL THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL UTAH AND SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO TO INCLUDE THE WASATCH RANGE, THE BEAR RIVER RANGE, THE WESTERN UINTAS AND THE MANTI-SKYLINE PLATEAU. OTHER MOUNTAIN RANGES WILL LIKELY BE AFFECTED AS WELL

* AVALANCHE DANGER...THE AVALANCHE DANGER FOR THE WARNING AREA IS HIGH

* IMPACTS...HEAVY SNOWFALL COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS IS CREATING WIDESPREAD AREAS OF UNSTABLE SNOW. BOTH HUMAN TRIGGERED AND NATURAL AVALANCHES ARE LIKELY AND WILL OCCUR IN MANY AREAS. STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDER SLOPES STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES.

Little Cottonwood Canyon is currently closed for avalanche reduction work with explosives. Estimated re-opening is 8am.

All of the ski resorts will be doing avalanche reduction with explosives today, these guys are under siege, please keep out of their hair by avoiding their terrain that is adjacent to the backcountry.

About another foot of snow fell over the last 12 hours in the Central Wasatch. Storm snow totals are in the 4 to 5 foot range containing 2 to 4 inches of water. Temperatures are in the mid teens and west wind speeds have tapered off a bit for the moment.

Way too much avalanche activity to list in detail. A significant natural avalanche cycle started early yesterday and natural avalanches were still occurring overnight. Avalanche reduction work at the ski areas and highway department has produced very large and dangerous avalanches. Backcountry travelers report widespread collapsing and remotely triggered avalanches. One backcountry skier was caught and partly buried by an avalanche she triggered from a distance which came down on top of her. Her partner got to her and she is ok. Great write up on that slide HERE.

What more do you need to know? It doesn't get much more dangerous out there. The danger will remain elevated through the weekend and this is the type of conditions where we often see accidents.

Here's a video from the Uintas. We have the same thing going on through the Wasatch.

Avalanche Warning Video from Trent Meisenheimer on Vimeo.

We have another impulse that is just starting to move through which will bring another shot of snow and a bump in wind speeds. Snow showers should continue through the day and taper off this evening. Most areas will see 4 to 8 inches with more possible in the most favored locations. We have a bit of a break on Thursday then another storm on Friday although that one looks to favor southern and central Utah.

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

To get help in an emergency (to launch a rescue) in the Wasatch, call 911.  Be prepared to give your GPS coordinates or the run name. Dispatchers have a copy of the Wasatch Backcountry Ski map.

Backcountry Emergencies. It outlines your step-by-step method in the event of a winter backcountry incident.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry, but no one is hurt and you do not need assistance, please notify the nearest ski area dispatch to avoid a needless response by rescue teams. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort/PCMR Dispatch (435)615-1911

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY  If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​ 

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures:  LINK TO UDOT, or on Twitter, follow @UDOTavy, @CanyonAlerts or @AltaCentral

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Powderbird Helicopter Skiing - Blog/itinerary for the day

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  You can see the uphill travel policy for each resort here. IMPORTANT: Before skinning or hiking at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol.  Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI:  Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC.  Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell.  You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

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 exist.