Most terrain has a LOW avalanche danger. Pockets of MODERATE danger, however, exist on upper elevation northwest to east facing slopes. Here it is possible to trigger a slab avalanche that fails 1-2 feet deep on a persistent weak layer of faceted snow. With forecast strong winds from the southwest, watch for and avoid any recent deposits of wind drifted snow in the mid and upper elevations.
Any northerly facing terrain has poor structure with weak faceted grains making up most of the snowpack. In upper elevation wind drifted terrain, it may be possible to trigger a slab avalanche that fails on this weak sugary snow. See Nikki's photo of the snow structure below.
Now is a great time to dial in your safety gear, including putting fresh new batteries in your beacons! Local shops across the state will be handing out free Batteries for Beacons from now until February 1, 2025. All you need to do is fill out a quick survey and grab the AAA or AA batteries you need to keep your beacon fresh this season. Find participating shops and more info here.
Merry Christmas Eve.
Skies are mostly cloudy with temps in the upper 20s to low 30s. Winds are generally light from the northeast.
For today, we'll have increasing clouds, temps warming into the upper 30s to mid-40s and STRONG winds from the southwest.
Santa should bring 2-5 inches by tomorrow with a favorable outlook for more storms on the way late week into the weekend. We may be measuring the new snow in feet and not inches. Stay tuned.
Riding conditions are pretty grim. Not only is there only 1-2 feet of snow on the ground, but much of this snow is sun and wind damaged. We need more snow.
Nikki Champion and Caroline Miller toured near Aspen Grove on Saturday and their report is HERE
Above Aspen Grove (photo Champion)
Recent Observations for the Provo region HERE.
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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.
