Provo

Problèmes avalancheux

• 

  Persistent Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpin
  • Limite forestière
  • Sous la limite forestière

  Probabilité

  Likely

  Taille

  3

  Most avalanche activity on this persistent weak layer has been on northerly-facing terrain. This layer DOES exist at other aspects and elevations and it could begin producing avalanches when it gets loaded by heavy snowfall and strong winds.

  The areas with the most uncertainty, and therefore highest level of concern for me are areas that have a generally substantial snowpack but have still been showing signs of propagation before this storm. These slopes will hold more water weight before they avalanche much wider and deeper. These will be unsurvivable avalanches. The uncertainty lies in the overall snowfall, water totals and how quickly we overload the snowpack. I am uncertain if this first system will overload the faceted grains enough to hit their tipping point, and for new snow and wind-drifted snow avalanches to begin stepping down deeper into this layer - but as we continue to add more snow and more wind, we do know that the likelihood of this happening will only continues to increase.

  Today, I'd stay off of and out from under slopes over 30 degrees as the current snowpack adapts to the new snow and wind.

• 

  Wind Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpin
  • Limite forestière
  • Sous la limite forestière

  Probabilité

  Likely

  Taille

  2

  With high wind speeds and soft snow available for transport you are likely to find sensitive slabs of wind-drifted snow on all upper-elevation slopes, and mid-elevation terrain features that allow for drifting snow to accumulate. The new soft slabs will be most pronounced on lee-ward facing slopes, but with such high winds can load any aspect because winds swirl and change direction as they pass through the mountains, this is known as cross-loading.

  What to do? Look for evidence of fresh drifts and wind slabs that look wavy, rounded, smooth, and pillow, and avoid steep terrain where you could trigger them. Any wind slab avalanche that you trigger has the potential to step down into deeper weak layers in the snowpack.

• 

  Storm Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpin
  • Limite forestière
  • Sous la limite forestière

  Probabilité

  Likely

  Taille

  2

  Storm totals of 2-15" of new snow over the past 24 hours will create sensitive soft slabs of fresh snow on all aspects at mid and upper elevations. Expect the new snow to be sensitive during any period of higher precipitation intensity and watch for changing conditions. Heads up: The lower elevations in the Provo area have received a lot of rain over the last 24 hours, up to 2.5" of water. While temperatures have dropped significantly and the saturated snowpack will hopefully freeze and not cause any issues, there is still some uncertainty with this much water. I would pay attention to low-elevation slopes that possess weak faceted early-season grains and show signs of remaining wet. If traveling through this lower elevation rain-soaked terrain I would avoid any location that haexperiencedrience an actual freeze, and one could sink through the entire snowpack to the ground. This could be a red flag that wet avalanches could still occur at these elevations.