Lawinenlagebericht

Provo

Veröffentlicht am Jan 6, 2024gültig bis Jan 7, 2024Utah Avalanche Center

Lawinengefahr

Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze

Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 3 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

The avalanche danger is MODERATE across all upper elevations. The two avalanche concerns for today are (1) sensitive shallow soft slabs of wind-drifted snow (2) sluffing (dry-loose avalanches). MODERATE danger means human-triggered avalanches are possible. Across the low and mid elevations, we have a LOW avalanche danger where triggering an avalanche is unlikely.

Lawinenprobleme

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Possible
Größe
2
Our new snow has fallen straight out of the sky, and even though we have plenty of weak snow out there, it's fluff on fluff (for now). This morning, the winds are generally calm. However, as our storm approaches this afternoon, the winds will begin to blow from the southwest at speeds of 15-20 mph across the upper-elevation terrain.

Even though there is not a lot of new snow available for transport, I would still be on guard for any active wind drifting and avoid those slopes. These soft slabs of wind-drifted snow could be 6-12" deep. Cracking and collapsing are bulls-eye clues to unstable snow.
Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Possible
Größe
1
Yesterday, during my field day, we could easily initiate the new low-density snow into sluffing on the steeper terrain. As the new snow traveled downhill, it would gouge into the old weak snow and pick up some volume. These dry-loose (sluffs) avalanches traveled well into the flats.

If you're getting onto steeper terrain today, remember to watch your sluffs and be sure not to get tangled up in them.
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Hochgebirge
Waldgrenze
Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
Wahrscheinlichkeit
Unlikely
Größe
2
Over the past month, we've seen very little snowfall, mainly clear skies and cold temperatures. This has created very weak and faceted snow across northern Utah. Unfortunately this weak snow is now buried and preserved a couple inches deep. As more snowfall (weight) is added to our snowpack, it will only be a matter of time before conditions become deadly.

However, for today, there is not enough weight (unless there is wind loading) to affect our faceted snow. This will change in the coming days and will likely be a problem for us for the foreseeable future.

Video: Trent Meisenheimer talking about the current snow structure and what we can expect.

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Recent Activity

No new avalanches were reported from yesterday. Read recent observations from the backcountry HERE.

Snow and Weather

Under cloudy skies, we welcome back the return to winter. Current mountain temperatures are cold and range from the single digits to 16 °F. Winds have been on their best behavior and blow from the west-north-west at 5-10 mph with the occasional gust into the 20s. In the past 48 hours, the Provo mountains basically were skunked with only 1-2 inches of new snow.

As one storm exits, we have another one on tap that currently sits off the Oregon coast. Winds are currently from the west-north-west this morning and are generally calm. However, as the next storm approaches, the winds will begin to back to the southwest and are forecast to blow 15-20 mph, gusting into the 20s at 700 millibars (10,000') by about the lunch hour. These southerly winds will be increasing through the day and will peak a couple of hours after sundown. Clouds will be increasing throughout the day as well, with isolated snow showers at times. Temperatures will climb into the upper teens to low 20s °F.

Around 7:00 PM tonight, the next wave of snow should begin to fill in across northern Utah. The strongest snowfall will be associated with the frontal passage Sunday morning, and we could see another 8-15 inches of new snow by Monday morning.

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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.

Observations and Avalanches

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