Advisory for Salt Lake
Advisory for Salt Lake
Who's up for some free avalanche training? Get a refresher, become better prepared for an upcoming avalanche class, or just boost your skills. Go to https://learn.kbyg.org/ and scroll down to Step 2 for a series of interactive online avalanche courses produced by the UAC. CLICK HERE FOR MORE GENERAL INFO AND FAQ 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 Backcountry Emergency Procedures Instagram Facebook Get Forecast Email Previous Forecasts Contact via email Submit Observation
A list of automated weather stations.
A list of observations.
When cold, dry snow becomes wet for the first time, it almost always means wet sluffs (loose snow that fans outward as it descends). Larger wet slab avalanches can happen when melt water percolates through a layered, winter snowpack for the first time especially after 3 days of strong melting combined with no refreeze at night. Luckily, wet avalanches usually don't last forever because over time, days or weeks of percolating meltwater, all the layers in the snow disappear, and the snow becomes homogenous and dense, turning into a stable summer-like snowpack. Typically, this cycle of instability maturing into stability occurs first on the south-facing slopes in early spring, then progresses to the east and west-facing slopes in mid-spring, and finally, by late spring, the upper elevation north facing slopes go through a wet avalanche cycle. Finally, glide avalanches occur regularly in spring as the entire snowpack slides slowly on the groun
During the spring, there are typically three different avalanche problems: 1. Wet Snow: Wet loose avalanches, wet slab avalanches, and lastly glide avalanches. 2. New Snow: New storm snow instability as soft slab avalanches and loose dry avalanches. 3. Wind Drifted Snow: Wind slabs - soft or hard drifts of wind-blown snow.