Salt Lake

Watch for a rising avalanche danger this weekend with strong winds and heavy snow possible overnight Saturday into Sunday.

Updates will follow as conditions warrant. This update is from 6 pm on Friday, November 22, 2024.

The 17th Annual Utah Snow and Avalanche Workshop (USAW) is scheduled for Saturday December 7th - Information and tickets available here.

While no avalanches have been reported this past week, we have received several excellent observations.

On Friday, I traveled along the Park City Ridgeline where I found 1 - 1.5' of snow on aspects facing northwest/north/northeast. UAC Education Manager McKinley Talty traveled in upper Little Cottonwood Canyon and focused on aspects facing west and east where he also found some weak faceted snow. Many observers and UAC staff have been finding weak snow on aspects facing west through north and east. With wind and snow in the forecast for this weekend, we may see avalanches breaking down into these weaker layers on aspects facing west/north/east.

The photo below shows the current snowpack structure with weak snow down near the ground.

Check out all recent observations and avalanches HERE.

There is 1 - 2.5' of snow on northerly slopes in the upper Cottonwoods, with depths over 3' on isolated, wind-loaded slopes at the upper elevations. There is 1 - 1.5' of snow on northerly slopes along the Park City Ridgeline.

Saturday - Winds will be from the south/southwest gusting near 30 mph at the mid elevations and over 60 mph at the uppermost elevations ahead of a storm on later Saturday evening. Snowfall could be heavy overnight Saturday into Sunday morning, with snow totals exceeding a foot in the upper Cottonwoods by mid-day Sunday.

Sunday - Slowly clearing skies with snow showers ending during the morning. A brief break with more snow possible on Tuesday.

Photo from Twin Lakes Pass (McKinley Talty photo]

Before traveling within one of the ski resort boundaries, check out Resort Uphill Policies.