Avalanche forecast

Provo

Issued Mar 5, 2023valid to Mar 6, 2023Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger is HIGH across all upper-elevation slopes. Traveling in avalanche terrain is NOT recommended. Here natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. At the mid-elevations, you will find a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger for both new snow and wind-drifted avalanche problems. Remember that avalanches can run long distances, so avoid being on or underneath any avalanche path.

Avalanche problems

Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Very Likely
Size
3
The Provo area received a lot less snow in certain areas. However, I am suspicious that some locations were favored, and we will see a lot more snow than what is being reported from our snow sites. With 4-8 inches of new snowfall and wind, it should be enough to make avalanches sensitive to the weight of a rider. Pay attention to the snow depths across the range. If you find yourself in an area where the snow is closer to 20 inches deep, you've found the HIGH avalanche danger.

Today will be a day to head to low-angle slopes (less than 30° degrees) and avoid being on or below any avalanche path, as avalanches can run fast and far today. Traveling in avalanche terrain is NOT recommended.
Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Likely
Size
3
Yesterday's strong southwest winds overloaded many slopes, creating stiff, hard slabs of wind-blown snow. These hard slabs will now be buried with 1-3 feet of new snow this morning. Any new snow (storm slab) avalanche triggered can pull out a deeper, harder slab below, making a much larger and more dangerous avalanche.

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Recent Activity

One person reported an avalanche from Loafer Mountain south of the Provo Core. This avalanche was remotely triggered (from a distance on the ridge) and was 6 inches deep and 125 feet wide. Yesterday in the Wasatch, avalanche activity revolved around the strong southerly winds blowing and drifting snow into dense slabs (wind slabs) that were mainly 10-20 inches deep and up to 125' wide. Out of the ten reported avalanches, the most impressive was from Days Fork and Broads Fork. In Days Fork, a cornice failed naturally and triggered a hard slab roughly 2-3 feet deep and 150 feet wide.

In Broads Fork, a natural glide avalanche failed roughly 10 feet deep and 125 feet wide, running to the valley bottom. This avalanche would have ruined anyone's day, and luckily it happened when no one was around. Be sure to read all the observations and recent avalanche activity HERE.

Photos: Starting left and going clockwise. Whitepine / Broads Fork / Loafer Mountain.

Snow and Weather

Overnight totals are way less than our northern neighbors, with roughly 4-8 inches (0.4-0.88 water) of new snow across much of the Provo mountains. However, I suspect around American Fork and areas closer to the Wasatch Core will have significantly more snow, we just do not have any snow sites to tell us. Winds blow west-northwest at 15-20 mph gusting into the 30s. Mountain temperatures range from 15-22 °F.

This morning under a Winter Weather Advisory, it will continue to snow into the late morning hours with an additional 1-2 inches of snow before tapering off and becoming more showery this afternoon. We might even see some sunshine if you're in the right spot. Temperatures will climb into the low to mid-20s °F. Winds will begin to back to the southwest around lunchtime and blow 10-20 mph, gusting into the 20s and 30s ahead of yet another storm this evening into Monday, where we could see 6-12 inches of new snow once again.

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

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