Avalanche forecast

Skyline

Issued Jan 29, 2021valid to Jan 30, 2021Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago.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

Highlights

There is a "pockety" CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger today. Newer snow sitting on top of older weak faceted sugary snow can cause avalanches in scattered locations. It is tricky to determine which slopes will avalanche right now and which ones won't. The best bet is to stick to slopes with angles of 30˚ in steepness or less.

Avalanche problems

Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
2
The skier triggered avalanche demonstrates what we are dealing with and what we will be dealing with for a while to come. There are numerous layers of weak faceted sugary snow at the base of our snowpack. At this point we don't quite have the right snow structure on top of the weak snow to create widespread avalanches. In many areas, it is just low density powder on top of weak sugary snow. But, in some places, the new snow has formed enough of a slab where it will crack out on the weak sugar. Most likely areas right now would be where the new snow is wind affected. However, the skier triggered slide demonstrates that you can find sheltered areas that have enough of a slab to avalanche. My guess is we will see more of this during upcoming storms.

Recent Activity

There was a small skier triggered avalanche reported from Fairview Canyon on Thursday. It consisted of all the snow from the past week (18" or so) and it failed on loose faceted snow deeper in the snowpack. The slope was small (only about 30' tall) and it was not in a gully so there were no consequences. It was in a sheltered location where it appears the recent wind didn't play much of a role.

Snow and Weather

Current Conditions: The southwest wind continued at moderate speeds over the last 24 hours. You will find wind effected snow surfaces in many areas. Overnight temperatures were in the low to mid 20s.

Mountain Weather: We'll see cloudy skies today with the chance for snow this afternoon. It'll be a bit breezy again this morning then taper off late today. Temperatures will remain in the mid 20s. Snow should continue tonight with 4 to 8 inches possible by Saturday morning.