Lawinenlagebericht

Salt Lake

Utah Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

  • Hochgebirge
  • Waldgrenze
  • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 8 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Today the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on all steep upper elevation slopes where dense slabs of wind-drifted snow can be found on all aspects because of the various wind directions. Some drifts will be obvious, others hidden beneath snow, and they will tend to break above you, not at your feet. The danger for wind drifts is MODERATE at mid and low elevations, including the foothills. Wind-sheltered slopes will still have excellent skiing and riding, where the main issue will be sluffing of the new snow in steep terrain.

Isolated locations with a thin snowpack could have avalanches that break near the ground, mostly likely where they have a new load of wind drifted snow.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Likely
    Größe
    2

    Wind drifts can be found today at all elevations and on all aspects. While most widespread at the upper elevations, you will also find drifts at the lower elevations of the foothills and near the canyon mouths. Yesterday’s unusual northeasterly wind direction will have drifted snow onto unusual slopes, cross loading across gullies and depositing drifts well off the ridge lines. If you’re going hiking or walking your dog in the foothills or on low elevation trails, look for and avoid the smooth, rounded wind drifts, especially on steep slopes and in gullies.

    To complicate matters, there are older buried wind slabs that will be difficult to detect. Created by a variety of wind directions earlier this week, they are on a variety of aspects and around mid slope terrain features. Approach all steep slopes with caution - these hard wind drifts can not be ski cut and will break above you.

  • Storm Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Unlikely
    Größe
    1

    The low density snow will continue to sluff today in wind sheltered areas. Small sluffs can be serious if they take you into trees, off a cliff or for a long ride, so choose your runouts carefully and use slope cuts to minimize the chance of going for a ride.

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Unlikely
    Größe
    2

    The buried persistent weak layer remains near the ground on northerly and east aspects. In many places the snowpack has gotten over a meter deep and this layer has not been breaking in stability tests. The natural avalanche on Monday in South Monitor Bowl is a good reminder of this type of avalanche. To get a slab avalanche breaking on this layer near the ground, it probably needs a combination of a thin snowpack with a load of wind drifted snow.

Recent Activity

Early in the day, there were natural, skier triggered and explosive released new snow soft slabs, wind drifts, and sluffs. Highway control work released several larger slides on northerly and southerly facing slopes. In the backcountry, there was an interesting skier triggered slide on an east facing slope in Snake Creek, at 9,400’, failing on facets above a crust. More excellent observations from yesterday here.

The northeasterly winds changed the landscape late in the afternoon and overnight. I assume natural avalanches ran overnight on steep wind drifted slopes.

Snake Creek slide, photo by Chester

Snow and Weather

Yesterday afternoon’s northeasterly wind event is the headline, with plumes and blowing snow from the summits to the valley floor. Average speeds of 15 mph, gusting in the 30s, occurred at all elevations, and speeds were highest near the canyon mouths, with averages to 30 mph.

Skies have cleared and temperatures plummeted - they’re in the single digits below zero, and will only warm into the single digits above zero to the low teens. The northeasterly winds are decreasing, and should remain in the 10 to 20 mph range, with the high ridge lines averaging 20 to 30, with gusts to 40. Very wind sheltered slopes will still have soft, powdery snow.

Additional Info

We are also tracking the shallow snowpack at the mid and low elevations. Here, the entire snowpack is weakening, and will be a concern in the future.

General Announcements

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

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