Avalanche forecast

Uintas

Utah Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

While not widespread, in the wind zone above treeline, you'll find pockets of MODERATE avalanche danger. Human triggered avalanches are POSSIBLE on steep, leeward slopes, where fresh wind drifts are sensitive to our additional weight. Lose the wind and you lose the problem. Mid and low elevation terrain offers generally LOW avalanche danger and human triggered avalanches are UNLIKELY.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Above, a 24 hour data dump from Windy Peak (10,661') clearly showing recent trends in wind direction, duration, and velocity.

    Moderately strong, ridgetop winds ushered in yesterday's much needed shot of storm snow. However, before we get too stoked on the idea of freshies, we need to remember that newly formed drifts stacked up on a variety of old snow surfaces, some of them quite hard and slick. Since ridgetop winds blew from a north and northeast direction, you'll find the majority of fresh wind drifts on upper elevation, leeward slopes facing the south half of the compass. Pretty straight-forward... right? Indeed it is, but winds do crazy things in mountainous terrain so I'd also approach cross-loaded chutes and gullies with caution. In either case, today I'd look for and avoid fat, rounded pillows of snow, especially if they have a chalky texture or sound hollow like a drum.

Recent Activity

No significant avalanche activity to report

Your input is vital and we're interested in what you're seeing. Please contribute to this great community resource and go here to fill out an observation.

Snow and Weather

NOWCAST-

Wow... yesterday's storm looked underwhelming on paper. But our mountains threw in a little special sauce, created a bit of meteorological magic, and voila... we squeezed out 5"-9" of low density snow across the range with the North Slope stacking up the higher totals. What a nice little under-forecast-over-deliver kinda storm... I'm wishing my stock portfolio presented a similar profile! Skies cleared early this morning and temperatures cratered into the single digits. Northeast winds blow in the teens along the high peaks. Riding and turning conditions drastically improved overnight and low angle slopes are the ticket in order to avoid bottom feeding on hard, old snow surfaces.

FORECAST-

Look for sunny skies with high temperatures climbing into the low 20's. Winds shift to the west-northwest and they may become a nuisance, especially later in the day along the high ridges. Overnight lows dip into the teens.

FUTURECAST-

High pressure returns for a weekend visit and we'll see clear skies with very mild temperatures Saturday. A warm, windy Sunday is on tap, prior to a good looking storm slated to slide into the region Monday, delivering colder air along with nearly a foot of snow.

Trip reports and current state of the snowpack observations are found HERE.

Looking for real-time temps, snow, or wind?

Click HERE and then on the "western Uinta" tab for western Uinta specific, weather station network.

Additional Info

Your observations are important, so please let me know what you're seeing... click HERE and contribute to this amazing community based program

General Announcements

The information in this forecast expires 24 hours after the day and time posted, but will be updated by 07:00 Friday, February 18th.

Before it gets too crazy, now is the time to book an avalanche awareness presentation for your group, club, or posse. You can reach me directly at 801-231-2170 or [email protected]

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.

Regions covered