This morning, we start out at a CONSIDERABLE AVALANCHE DANGER on all aspects and elevations.
WITH FORECAST INCREASING WINDS FROM THE NORTHWEST, THE DANGER WILL REACH HIGH IN THE UPPER ELEVATIONS.
Natural and human triggered avalanches will be very likely. Travel in and underneath steep wind drifted terrain is not recommended today.
WINDS ARE THE MAIN WILDCARD FOR TODAY. If the winds pick up as forecast, natural and human triggered avalanches will be very likely in the upper elevations. THERE IS A LOT OF SNOW TO BLOW AROUND. Pay close attention to wind transported snow and avoid steep wind drifted terrain in all elevations. Shooting cracks and sometimes audible collapses are indicators of instability.
Heavy snowfall rates, particularly in areas favored by a southwest flow, have stacked a ton of snow up in a very short period of time. This is a red flag. Test slopes and hand pits will provide some indications of how the snow is behaving. Soft slabs and loose sluffs within the new snow are likely in steep terrain.
My recommendation would be to allow the snow to settle and stabilize before getting into steep terrain.
Mark Staples was touring in the Snowbasin backcountry yesterday and his observation is HERE. He was able to trigger a shallow soft slab in the new snow on a north facing slope at 7200'. It was only 5-6 inches deep and about 30 feet wide on a 40 degree rollover. Ski area control teams as well triggered shallow soft slabs of new and/or wind blown snow.
Moderate to heavy snowfall continues through the mountains of northern Utah.
Storm totals as of 5AM in the Ogden mountains are 16-20" with upwards of 2.30" of snow water equivlent. Even some valley stations are reporting 16" and 2.10" of snow water equivalent.
Mountain temperatures are in the mid teens. Winds are blowing 20-30mph from the north-northeast.
For today, we'll see an additional 3-6" of very low density snow. Temperatures will keep dropping into the single digits.
WINDS from the northwest are expected to INCREASE along the ridgelines, blowing 25-35mph.
The large scale storm engulfing the intermountain west will keep us showery through tomorrow. Some clearing expected Friday but the overall weather pattern looks to remain fairly active.
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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.
