Forecast: Provo Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Provo Area Mountains

Issued by Drew Hardesty on
Friday morning, March 13, 2026

This morning's LOW danger will rise to MODERATE for wet loose avalanches with today's sun and warming temperatures.

Recently formed hard wind slabs and the buried PWL (persistent weak layer) are mostly dormant and triggering one of these is unlikely but not impossible.

(Grey indicates little to no snow.)

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Weather and Snow

Skies are partly cloudy. Winds from the west-northwest continue raking the high peaks and ridgelines to the tune of 30mph with gusts near 50mph. Temperatures continue to warm and there was a marginal refreeze overnight in the upper 30s to mid-40s!

For today - more sun with occasional high clouds drifting through. Temperatures again rise to the upper 40s to low 50s. You'll find good supportable corn skiing and riding on the smooth solar aspects, but the window will close earlier than yesterday.

The Outlook - Continued warming until a sharp cold front temporarily breaks the spell Saturday afternoon. Temps plummet to the teens post-frontal and we'll be lucky to see 2-4". The much-anticipated HEAT DOME builds for next week, with temps skyrocketing to the 50s up high while flirting with 80°F in the valley. I heard from some astronomers that told me that it wasn't actually true that the sun would touch down Utah next week; so I must admit to a little exaggeration. Not all is lost, though! - the week(s) after look potentially active.

Recent Avalanches

None

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

Spring Diurnal: The hazard assessment suggests that the only substantial hazard is from wet loose avalanches during the afternoon thaw phase of the diurnal freeze-thaw cycle.

Wet loose sluffs can be expected on the steep sunny aspects with sun and daytime warming. IF the cirrus clouds act as a thin blanket, greenhousing may occur and some polar aspects may become damp and unstable as well. PAY ATTENTION to how the snow is reacting to the sun and temps today.

Cornices tend to calve naturally during the springtime. Avoid being on or beneath these ridgeline hazards.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

The Dry January Layer (DJL) of faceted snow is 1-3 feet deep and buried by a strong slab and supportable crusts, with the last reported avalanche failing on the DJL was on the 21st near the Ant Knolls.

We now view the PWL as dormant and human triggered avalanches are unlikely but not impossible. If you're looking for trouble, however, you may find it in recently wind loaded, steep, thin, rocky terrain in the highest elevations on the north side of the compass.

Looking ahead: with the skyrocketing temperatures next week, we anticipate the PWL becoming active again as melt water percolates down to the faceted grains and wet slab avalanches become our central avalanche problem. Stay tuned.

General Announcements

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.

Observations and Avalanches

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