Forecast - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Provo Area Mountains

Issued by Dave Kelly on
Monday morning, January 20, 2025

Today, there is a MODERATE avalanche danger for triggering an avalanche failing into the buried facets on upper elevation northwest-north-east facing aspects. There is a LOW avalanche danger on all other aspects and elevations, where you may trigger a shallow wind-drifted snow avalanche.

Special attention should be given to recently wind loaded steep slopes that harbor faceted snow near the ground. Areas where you may trigger an avalanche 1'-3' deep will be thinner rockier zones and areas that avalanched earlier this season and have been re-loaded with more wind and snow.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Join the UAC at Deer Valley on January 30th for the 2nd Annual Blizzard Ball Gala. Former Director of the Utah Avalanche Center, Bruce Tremper will deliver the keynote address.

Weather and Snow

Currently under partly cloudy skies trailhead temperatures are in the low single digits °F, while the highest weather stations are well below 0°F, with some readings as low as -12°F. Winds are blowing lightly from the northeast at the lower elevations and blowing from the north-northeast in the teens gusting to the 20's at 9,000'. Wind Chill is -20°F on the highest peaks, where any exposed skin can frostbite in under 10 minutes.

Today, we should see sunny skies. Temperatures will rise to 10-16 °F and winds will blow lightly at the lower elevations from the northeast and from the north-northeast 25 gusting to 35 MPH at the highest elevations. With a northeast aspect to the winds there could be areas that see wind gusts up to 45 MPH. No new snow is expected today.

Recent Avalanches

Yesterday, we had no reports of avalanches from backcountry travelers.

Read all observations HERE.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

These shallow wind drifts will be easy to spot as they will be pillowy, rounded, and located on the windward side of ridgelines and terrain features. Shooting cracks are signs of wind drifting and you may see more of this today. Cornices point to where the snow is loading on the slopes and caution is advised before jumping onto or traveling underneath any wind loaded slope.

Photo of shallow wind-drifted snow from Little Cottonwood Canyon, just north of the Provo forecast region. I would expect to see similar wind drifting in Provo today.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

This layer of weak facets is no longer giving us obvious signs that it is going to avalanche. The cracking, collapsing, and whumpfing has subsided and the lack of in-your-face weakness makes for a tricky problem. Most likely areas to trigger an avalanche 1'-3' deep and up to 100' wide are thin rocky areas, gully features, and locations that have avalanched earlier this season.

Photo from Greg of weak faceted snow near the ground in the UFO Bowls near Aspen Grove.

General Announcements

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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