Provo

This most recent snow and wind was just enough to tip the scales in isolated terrain and it may be possible to trigger shallow soft slabs 10"-18" deep and up to 50' wide in upper elevation northerly facing terrain. While these avalanches may not be enough to fully bury a rider, they are more than enough to rake someone through rocks and stumps.

Updates will follow as conditions warrant.

The 17th Annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop (USAW) is scheduled for Saturday December 7th - Information and tickets available here.

Two avalanches were triggered over the weekend in the Central Wasatch. While none of these avalanches were deep enough to bury a person, they would have been more than enough to cause injury had someone been caught in rocky terrain or washed over a cliff band.

The Tri-Chutes avalanche that was on a northwest aspect at 10,100' got my attention because of the collapses the party observed before they remotely triggered the avalanche (photo below). Another rider triggered an avalanche that failed on weak faceted snow on a north facing slope in Upper Silver Fork Canyon.(9800' north facing) While just north of the Provo Region, this is similar to what you may find at higher elevations throughout the Provo Area Mountains.

Above photo showing the fracture line from Silver Fork (photo credit: Chris D).

Check out all recent observations and avalanches HERE.

Since Friday night, the Provo mountains have picked up 4-8" of snow with an estimated 0.5-0.8" of snow water equivalent. Timpanogos and the Cascade ridgeline look full winter. Coverage, however is 12-18" of new snow and wind drifts sitting uneasily over weak early season snow. This is a conditionally unstable snowpack waiting for more snow and wind for avalanche season to begin in full swing...which may begin late weekend. More on this in the coming days.

Currently, skies are clear with temps in the teens...rising into the 30s. Winds are moderate from the southwest.

Before traveling within one of the ski resort boundaries, check out Resort Uphill Policies.