Moab

The avalanche danger remains LOW on all aspects and elevations. Unstable areas of wind drifted snow may exist on isolated terrain features in upper elevation, wind exposed terrain.

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This forecast is from the U.S. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

Road Conditions: The road to Geyser Pass Trailhead is mostly down to the dirt. Some patchy areas of packed snow and ice remain and they are slick. AWD and good tires are recommended.

Grooming: Trails were groomed into Gold Basin on Friday.

6:00 a.m. weather data:

24 Hour Snow 0" 72 Hour Snow 2" Base Depth at Gold Basin 41" Wind W 5-10 Temp 16F

Dry and sunny conditions and steadily warming temperatures are in store for this weekend. A much anticipated change in the weather pattern begins on Monday as a deepening trough begins to drop down over the region. Several bands of precipitation are expected to move through the state through midweek with Wednesday currently looking like the wettest for southern Utah. Do your rain dance, praise Ullr, or burn some skis and let's hope this winter turns back around before spring!

NWS Weather Forecast for the La Sal Mountains

Gold Basin SNOTEL site (10,000')

Storm Totals in Gold Basin

Wind Station on Pre Laurel Peak (11,700')

Snowpack

With snow finally in the forecast, our attention remains focused on the loose, sugary, faceted snow that has formed near the surface during this extended period of high pressure. This loose, faceted snow will likely become our next weak layer in the snowpack and how much snow we get will determine how reactive it becomes. The weakest snow can be found on shady, northerly aspects right around treeline and below. In some of these areas, the entire snowpack has become loose and faceted. Above treeline, conditions are much more variable ranging from from wind scoured and sun crusted, to boiler plate. Where crusts are thin, the snow is faceting underneath. This makes mapping of this future weak layer tricky. Generally speaking, the more sheltered the area, the more likely the the surface is to be weak and faceted. When new snow finally comes, slope by slope analysis will be required when getting into steep terrain.