Salt Lake Avalanche Advisory

Forecaster: Evelyn Lees

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We have three different events tonight. With our partners, The Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center, Harry O's in Park City is having the Powderwhore show along with music, dancing and a huge raffle, or you can head downtown to Canyon Sports at 517 S 200 W to sample beer from the Red Rock Brewery made especially for the Utah Avalanche Center at the 1st annual Canyon Sports Brewski Bash, with food, music and prizes. There's also a free avalanche awareness talk at 7 pm at the Sandy REI. Check out our calendar off the HOME page for more details on all the upcoming events.


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 generally LOW, with pockets of MODERATE in wind drifted, high elevation terrain and in graupel pools below cliffs where it may be possible to trigger small slides within the new snow. On steep slopes be prepared for shallow surface sluffing as you descend.


CURRENT CONDITIONS

I have measured out my snow with coffee spoons...and found small totals of 1 to 2 new inches this morning. Light snowfall is continuing, and temperatures are currently in the mid 20's at 8,000' and down into the teens at 10,000'. The winds are generally from a southwesterly direction, averaging less than 10 mph, with only a few of the highest peaks having speeds in the 15 to 20 mph range. Turning and riding conditions were remarkably improved yesterday by the 3 to 5 inches of dense, supportable graupel from Tuesday. Though I have to admit, with the combination of a shallow snowpack and flat light, I scraped several of the barely consealed rocks.


RECENT ACTIVITY

No avalanche activity was reported from the backcountry yesterday, and even with explosives, the resorts only pulled out a few small graupel pockets.


THREAT #1

WHERE PROBABILITY SIZE TREND
      Over the next 12 hours.

The upper snow pack is weak, with layers of thin ice crusts and small angular facets. However, the recent 3 to 6” of new snow is not enough weight to cause failure of these facet/crust sandwiches. But it will be possible to trigger a few small pockets of new snow in areas where the graupel has pooled – either drifted by the wind along the higher ridge lines or below cliff bands, where it has rolled down and collected in piles. The only other avalanche concern is the possibility of triggering a few shallow sluffs on steep slopes.


MOUNTAIN WEATHER

Skies will remain mostly cloudy today, with snow showers adding another 1 to 3 inches to the overnight accumulations. Winds will be shifting to the northwest, then north, remaining in the 10 to 20 mph range, with gusts to 30 and occasionally 40 mph. Slowly clearing skies tonight, with temperatures dropping down into the low to mid teens. Then warm, dry high pressure moves in on Friday, lasting through the weekend. Another weak cold front is forecast around Monday.


GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

If you want to get this avalanche advisory e-mailed to you daily click HERE.

UDOT highway avalanche control work info can be found by calling (801) 975-4838. Our statewide toll free line is 1-888-999-4019 (early morning, option 8).

The UAC depends on contributions from users like you to support our work. To find out more about how you can support our efforts to continue providing the avalanche forecasting and education that you expect please visitour Friends page.

If you’re getting out and see anything we should know about please let us know. You can leave a message at (801) 524-5304 or 1-800-662-4140, or email us at uac@utahavalanchecenter.org. (Fax 801-524-6301).

Bruce Tremper will update this forecast by 7:30 on Friday morning.


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.