Skyline Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Grant Helgeson

AVALANCHE WARNING »

Dangerous avalanche conditions are occuring or are imminent. Backcountry travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.
Notice:

THIS AVALANCHE WARNING IS FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL UTAH. HEAVY SNOWFALL TODAY WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE AVALANCHE DANGER. THE PREEXISTING WEAK SNOW PACK STRUCTURE WILL BE OVERLOADED BY THE NEW SNOW AND LARGE DANGEROUS AVALANCHES MAY OCCUR NATURALLY OR COULD LIKELY BE HUMAN TRIGGERED. PEOPLE ARE URGED TO STAY OUT OF AVALANCHE TERRAIN TODAY.


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 HIGH on all aspects at upper & mid elevations today. Heavy snowfall has overloaded our weak pre-existing snowpack. Natural avalanches are occurring. Dangerous human triggered deep slab avalanches are likely.

Avoid travel in avalanche terrain today. If you're going to get out, play in the meadows well away from open slopes, & avoid slopes 35 degrees and steeper.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

The Skyline received about an inch of water yesterday which translates to about a foot of snow. It's 12 F at the top of Fairview Canyon and winds are light out of the SW.

Recent observations always available here.


RECENT ACTIVITY

No recent activity reported or observed.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Over a foot of snow fell yesterday and we can expect about that much again today. Failures in the new snow have the potential to step down to our weak sugary snow near the ground triggering deep un-survivable avalanches.


THREAT #2

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

This storm is packing more than enough wallop to overload our weak snowpack structure. As snow totals continue to stack up, our deep slab avalanche problem will re-awaken. Large natural avalanches are possible today on NW, N, NE, E & SE facing slopes at both mid and upper elevations. Large human triggered avalanches failing at the ground are expected this afternoon. Triggering a deep, un-survivable hard slab avalanche is more likely this weekend than it has been all year.

Avoid travel in avalanche terrain today. If you're going to get out, play in the meadows well away from open slopes, & avoid slopes 35 degrees and steeper.

Wives, do you know where your husbands are riding? Today could be a good day to keep 'em home.


THREAT #3

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 24 hours.

Watch for signs of changing conditions. With all this new snow, it won't take much wind to create fresh sensitive wind slabs on upper and mid elevation slopes facing NW, N, NE, E, SE & S.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Pack your puffy coat, temperatures will top out at 15 F this afternoon. The weather pro's are calling for another foot of snow today before things clear out Monday. Tuesday looks to be a beautiful blue bird day. Looks like more snow is on tap for the second half of the week.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Come join forecasters from the UAC along with the talented athletes from Boondockers for our second annual Essential Avy and Riding Skills Workshop. Click here for more details.

See or trigger an avalanche? I'd like to hear about it. You can reach me on my cell: 801-824-0305, or shoot me an email: grant@utahavalanchecenter.org Observers may choose to remain anonymous if they wish.

This forecast will be updated by 7:00am Saturday February 27th.


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.