Moab

The avalanche danger is LOW, and conditions are generally safe. Small human-triggered avalanches may be possible in isolated areas or extreme terrain where old, hard slabs of previously drifted snow dot the landscape.

Conditions remain very thin, and rocks, stumps, and logs lurk below the surface everywhere. Exercise extreme caution when getting around.

Geyser Pass Road Conditions: The road is a mix of dry dirt down low with sections of packed snow and ice up high. All wheel drive and good tires are recommended.

Grooming: Trails were last groomed on Saturday.

Friday, January 30 - Saturday, January 31 - Moab Backcountry 101 Class - Our annual local backcountry avalanche class. Click here for information and registration. Moab and Monticello locals can use the discount code MOAB-LOCAL for a 10% discount.

No recent activity has been observed. Click here for the complete avalanche database.

24 Hour Snow: 0" 72 Hour Snow: 0" Season Total Snow: 21" Depth at Gold Basin: 12"

Winds on Pre-Laurel Peak: N/A Temp: 31° F

Weather

Temperatures are slowly dropping, and it is 31°F in Gold Basin this morning. Pre-Laurel Peak wind data is down, but nearby stations show moderate winds blowing from the southwest with strong gusts. Daytime highs will remain in the low 30s°F, and winds will continue to blow out of the southwest at 20 MPH with gusts up to 30 MPH. Cloud cover will increase this morning, and there is a 20% chance of snow this afternoon, with little to no accumulation expected. A short-wave trough drops in from the northwest tonight, bringing colder temperatures and moisture to our region. Snowfall begins overnight, and the main trough and weak cold front arrive on Saturday afternoon, bringing with it our best chance for snow. We could see snow totals in the 3-6 inch range. I'll have those numbers sorted out by tomorrow's update.

General Conditions

Conditions will be rough out there today. Yesterday, the mountains received rain on snow at least up to 10,000 feet and maybe higher. I'm headed up today to find out where that rain-snow line was during the storm. Our SNOTEL site at 10,050 feet picked up 0.5 inches of rain. I suspect that the high peaks got an inch or two of snow. As far as skiing and riding is concerned, you might want to wait until Sunday. It looks like we could get a refresh on Saturday with light accumulations. Many solar aspects are melted down to the rocks and are no longer skiable. High elevation northerlies have been stripped by the wind, but out of the wind zone, polar aspects are still holding 12-24 inches of snow. In my travels to the alpine on Wednesday, I found a mix of old, hard wind slabs and complete mashed potato-like snow on northerly aspects. The damp snow I experienced is a result of record warm temperatures and high, thin cloud cover as of late. The previously damp snow surface is probably crusted over today, thanks to temperatures finally dropping below the freezing mark. There are still no avalanche problems to talk about, but an incoming storm on Saturday will change the landscape, and we could see a rising avalanche hazard for the weekend.

This photo from Wednesday tells the story of below-average snowfall, strong winds, prolonged sunshine, and record warmth.

Snowpack and Weather Data

NEW! Gold Basin webcam storm stake

Gold Basin Storm Stake (10,000')

Gold Basin SNOTEL site (10,000')

SNOTEL site near Geyser Pass Winter Trailhead (9600')

Wind Station on Pre-Laurel Peak (11,400')

NWS forecast for the La Sal Mountains.

It's never too early to start thinking about avalanches. Here are a few things to consider doing:

• Learn online. We have over 5 hours of free online learning at the Know Before You Go website
• Check out the upcoming in-person Know Before You Go events HERE
• Sign up for an on-snow class
• Check out the UAC's education progression HERE
• Get your avalanche rescue gear ready for winter. Put fresh batteries in your transceiver and update the firmware. Inspect your shovel and probe. Get your airbag backpack ready by possibly doing a test deployment and updating the firmware if it is an electric version or getting your canister refilled if it's not electronic.

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.