Avalanche forecast

Salt Lake

Issued Jan 7, 2023valid to Jan 8, 2023Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Areas of CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger exist in the mid and upper elevations. Any new snow avalanche may step down into older snow layering, particularly on steep northwest to easterly facing aspects. Conservative decision making remains essential today.

Avalanche problems

Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Likely
Size
2
New snow soft slab avalanches 1-2' deep can still be triggered today in steep terrain of all aspects and elevations. These new snow avalanches will be reactive to ski cuts and cornice drops. If traveling into the higher elevations, soft slabs of wind blown snow are to be expected in the lee terrain. Shooting cracks are good indicators of instability.

Isolated natural new snow avalanches will also be possible in the steepest terrain today, particularly in very steep southerly facing terrain.

pc: G Harmsen

TREND: STABILIZING
Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Possible
Size
4
Our deeply-buried persistent weak layer (PWL) continues to gain strength and become more stubborn for human triggering.

As far as I'm aware, the last natural avalanches into these older layers occurred with last weekend's storm on the 1st or the 2nd. The last human triggered avalanches into this layering occurred low in Butler Fork (Scary Gulley) on the 27th of December and near Summit Park of Parley's Canyon on the 29th.

Even though these weak layers are deeply buried they were undoubtedly stressed to some degree by yesterday's storm. They still need more time to fully heal. More details in this report HERE>

TREND: SLOWLY STABILIZING

Recent Activity

UDOT Little Cottonwood triggered many long running avalanches to and across the road yesterday. They have another mission this morning.

In the backcountry, many observers triggered pockety soft slabs within the new snow 1-2' deep and up to 50' wide on a variety of aspects and elevations. Two riders were briefly caught and carried in separate incidents.

Observers also noted a few shallow natural soft slabs in steep terrain.

Natural soft slab avalanche noted in Mineral Fork of BCC: just the type of avalanche that could surprise you: mid-slope opening in the glade; L Dunn photo

Snow and Weather

Skies are partly cloudy. Mountain temperatures are in the mid to upper teens. Winds are light from the west.

For today, we'll have partly cloudy skies with temperatures rising to the mid to upper 20s. Winds will start to increase from the southwest this afternoon.

Most areas picked up another trace to 2" overnight, pushing storm totals to 2' in upper Little Cottonwood and 14 to 18" in the rest of the regions. Riding conditions were a bit upside down yesterday, but overnight settlement will probably improve conditions for today.

A weak system passes by tomorrow with a much more promising storm slated for Monday night through Wednesday.

General Announcements

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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

Backcountry Emergency Procedures