Be mindful of avalanche workers - IF YOU TRIGGER an avalanche near a ski area, please report it to the ski patrol dispatch or Alta Central (801-742-2033). Rescue personnel don’t want to be subjected to dangerous conditions if the scene is clear. More on this in Backcountry Emergency Protocols
This morning, skies are partly cloudy with temperatures in the upper 20s to low 30s °F. Winds are out of the southwest, averaging in the 20s to 30s mph, with gusts reaching up to 40 to 50 mph along exposed mid and upper elevation ridgelines.
Today, skies will stay partly cloudy and deteriorate slightly ahead of the incoming storm. Temperatures will hover in the low 30s °F. Winds shift more west southwesterly this afternoon, with wind speeds averaging 10–15 mph along exposed mid and upper elevation ridgelines, with gusts up to 40 mph. Snow could begin as early as this afternoon, but remain light, with possible accumulation up to 1 inch by 5 PM. The main push of the storm arrives this evening.
This system looks more traditional, bringing colder temperatures and lower-density snowfall. Confidence is high for snow along and just behind the cold front, though uncertainty in storm timing and density still impacts final snowfall and SWE totals. Current projections range from 8-14 inches of snow, with up to 0.80 inches of water.
Yesterday was a busy day for avalanche observations. With improved visibility, it was easier to get a grasp on what all happened mid-storm. You can find a few recent new snow avalanches for the Provo area HERE.
A dry-loose avalanche from Elk Point on January 5th started with loose graupel pooling down a very steep and rocky chute, then pulling out either a storm slab or old snow slab in parts of the track. Debris overran the first falls and filled in the Primrose sneak. (Woody)
Since Sunday, most of the avalanches reported have primarily been soft slabs of new snow or wind-drifted snow failing either within the new snow or on top of the Christmas Eve Rain Crust, a pattern mirrored by ski resorts through reactive avalanche control work. While that has been the general trend, we continue to see the occasional standout avalanche stepping down below the Christmas Eve Rain Crust. Yesterday, we saw one avalanche step down more deeply into the weak snow near the ground:
This hard slab avalanche occurred near Oingo Boingo, around 10,200 feet on a north-facing slope. This avalanche was 70 feet wide, 2.5 feet deep, and ran roughly 400 feet vertical. While the trigger remains unknown, the avalanche appeared to step immediately into facets, similar in character to the avalanche Sunday afternoon in Two Dogs.
On Tuesday, a snowmobiler triggered a very large hard slab at First Cornice, a zone known for heavy wind loading. The crown averaged 4 feet deep, but near the most heavily loaded areas by the cornice, it may have been up to 7 feet deep. A follow-up investigation by Brooke and Trent confirmed the avalanche was a slab of wind-drifted snow that failed on small grain facets above the Christmas Eve rain crust. The avalanche did not step down more deeply into the old snow below the crust.
Read all backcountry observations here.
