Avalanche forecast

Moab

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Human triggered avalanches remain likely on steep, northerly facing slopes that have enough snow to ski or ride. However, due to a lack of sufficient snow cover on the majority of the terrain, the avalanche danger is isolated to specific features and therefore MODERATE. With the current snowpack structure, steep, NW-N-E facing slopes with sufficient cover should be avoided for the foreseeable future. Blowing and drifting of snow may exacerbate this problem, particularly on slopes with an easterly component to their aspect. Most south-facing terrain has LOW danger.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    Our snowpack is rife with persistent weak layers of loose, sugary, faceted snow along with a couple of melt feeze layers. Red flag signs of instability such as collapsing and whumphing continue to be observed though they are becoming more localized. Although avalanche terrain remains difficult to access due to low coverage, human-triggered avalanches are likely steep, northerly facing slopes that have sufficient snow cover.

Special Announcement

This forecast is for Sat and Sun, January 16, 17.

The Geyser Pass Road is plowed. The surface is snow packed on dirt.

The Lower Utah Nordic Alliance (LUNA) has plans to groom today.

Snow and Weather

Conditions will remain dry through the weekend with a developing chance for snow Mon-Tue.

NWS Weather Forecast.

Wind, temperature, humidity on Pre Laurel Peak (11,700')

Snotel site near Geyser Pass Trailhead (9600')

Storm totals at the Gold Basin study plot (10,000')

Snowpack Discussion

It's getting pretty monotonous describing the current snowpack because there isn't much of one. Chris Benson and Charlie Ramser were both up yesterday and their words can help illuminate the situation. Read their observations here. Both report continued signs of instability such as cracking and collapsing though instances are becoming more localized. Snow depths on northerly aspects above about 10,000' range from 12" - 24" while southerly aspects are mostly bare. The existing snowpack is very weak and faceted along with the presence of one or two crusts. Below treeline, the entire snowpack is starting to lose cohesion and there isn't much of an overriding slab. Near treeline and above, an overriding slab can be found in areas that have denser deposits of wind drifted snow. Above treeline, the snow in many areas has been ravaged by the wind, and scoured surfaces alternate with smooth, hard slabs, crusts, and in the words of Chris Benson "soul searching sastrugi." Conditions are deceiving due to the overall lack of coverage and the general inaccessibility of avalanche terrain, but if you went searching for an avalanche you could still find one.

General Announcements

This forecast is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

Regions covered