The avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE on all mid and upper-elevation steep slopes for slab avalanches. Here, avalanches can fail within the new snow or at the old/new snow interface. On northerly facing terrain, these avalanches can step down into buried weak layers of faceted snow. Deep and deadly human-triggered avalanches 1 to 4+ feet deep are likely today. With bluebird skies and plenty of powder snow, I can't help but think we will see another accident today. DO NOT let powder fever cloud your judgment.
I am unsure if there will be wet avalanche activity today. Cool temperatures and light winds might be enough to keep the wet activity at bay. However, if the snow becomes damp or you see roller balls, it's time to get off and out from under steep, sunny slopes.
Slabs of new storm snow can fail 1 to 4 feet deep and up to 200 feet wide. These avalanches can break on a variety of layers in the snowpack. Yesterday we saw avalanches fail in:
In any case these avalanches are large enough to kill people. The snowpack is complicated right now and when it get's complicated the best thing we can do is back off. Avoid being on, under, or adjacent to slopes steeper than 30 degrees.
There are two buried weak layers of faceted snow in our snowpack. One is roughly 12-36 inches down and was buried at the end of January. The other is our old November/December weak layer that is found at the base of the snowpack. On top of this, many slopes avalanched in the Christmas storm cycle, leaving behind shallow snow that has now become depth hoar (large grain facets). Human-triggered avalanches 2-4+ feet deep and up to 200 feet wide will remain likely today.
I cannot stress enough how poor of a snowpack structure we have this year. It's not the year to ride avalanche terrain. Our snowpack is too complicated, unpredictable, and deadly. We have had four avalanche fatalities involving faceted snow. My advice would be to ride low-angle terrain with no steep slopes above you. The lower-angled terrain is surfy and fun. There is no need to be in steep avalanche terrain today.
We are deeply saddened to report an avalanche fatality in East Bowl of Silverfork that happened yesterday (pic below). Details are still limited, but UAC staff will visit the site today. We will provide a full accident report in the coming days.
Many deep and dangerous avalanches were triggered yesterday. These avalanches failed within the new snow or broke deeper into weaker faceted snow below. These avalanches were 1 to 4 feet deep and up to 200 feet wide. Many of them are large enough to catch, carry, bury, and kill humans. List Below:
Yesterday afternoon, another cold front pushed through, leaving behind an additional 2 to 5 inches of new snow (0.21-0.30" water). This brings the 36-hour snow total to 8 to 25 inches (0.86-3.12" water). The deepest snow is found in Upper Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons with the upper end of the storm totals. PC Ridgeline 16.5 inches of total snow (2.03" water)
Under clear skies, the mountain temperatures are in the single digits Fahrenheit. The wind is from the northwest and blows at speeds of 5-15 mph with gusts into the 20s. Today, we will remain under a cool/dry northwest flow with plenty of sunshine and temperatures rising into the mid 20°F.
Riding and turning conditions are the best they've been all year.
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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.
