Salt Lake
Avalanche danger
- Alpine
- Treeline
- Below treeline
Highlights
The avalanche danger remains LOW. Small loose dry avalanches and shallow wind pockets can be expected in isolated areas or extreme terrain. Remember that even a small avalanche can be consequential in unforgiving terrain.
Recent Activity
None reported from yesterday; however riders have triggered longer running "square powder" sluffs in steep polar terrain over the week.
Snow and Weather
Skies are trending clear after the "storm".
Storm totals are a trace to 3", with upper Little Cottonwood boasting the angry three inches of new snow. Winds are light to moderate from the northwest; mountain temperatures have dropped into the teens to single digits.
Should be a stunner of a day today - mostly sunny, light to moderate winds from the northwest, temperatures rising to the upper teens to mid-20s. Some might view the new snow as lipstick on a pig, but my glass is half full. The Outlook: a ridge of high pressure builds yet again for the foreseeable future, although we might see a lost and wayward flurry or two on Monday as a weak storm races by to the north.
❄️
Heavily-rimed grains Whether from Heaven or hose Facet ‘neath cold skies.
❄️ Haiku by Mark Saurer, editor Quinn Graves
But back to the "glass is half-full". Even though it hasn't really snowed in weeks, we've been able to find decent, if slow, skiing and riding in the protected northerly aspects in the recrystallized, AKA "square" powder. Owing to clear skies and a strong temperature gradient near the surface of the snowpack, the snow has metamorphosed into small, loose, angular faceted grains. Special thanks to Doug Wewer (snowflake photographer) and Jed Workman, from the Square Powder lab.
Adam Crow toured in upper Mill D North yesterday and noted the loose dry facet sluffs were "fast moving and would run long distances". His full report is HERE.
General Announcements
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.