Forecast: Provo Area Mountains - Utah Avalanche Center

Forecast for the Provo Area Mountains

Issued by Drew Hardesty on
Sunday morning, November 22, 2020

The avalanche danger is LOW and avalanches are unlikely.

The biggest concerns are slide-for-life conditions on the slick crusts and getting injured in the shallow snowpack by hitting rocks or other obstacles.

Tread lightly.

Low

Moderate

Considerable

High

Extreme

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Special Announcements

Please do everything possible to avoid getting hurt for yourself and the greater good. As you decide where and how to travel in the backcountry, consider adding just a little extra margin of safety.

Announcement: Please visit this website with information about Responsible Winter Recreation by the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation.

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Weather and Snow

Skies are clear.

Inversions continue to strengthen with warm air moving in aloft ahead of tomorrow's "storm". Ridgetop temperatures are in the mid to upper 20s while trailheads and basins are mired in the cold pools of the teens.

Winds have also strengthened in the last couple of hours and are blowing 20-25mph from the southeast.

Snow surface conditions are something only a mother could love. Only 5-10" of snow sits on the ground in the Provo mountains, but it's thin and threadbare and hammered by the sun and wind. At this point, there's really not enough snow to slide around on and mountain boots, poles, and an ice-axe may be your best bet.

For today, we'll have sunny skies with some high cirrus streaming in over the course of the day. Winds will be south to southwesterly, blowing 20-25mph. Daytime highs will again reach into the upper 30s to low 40s. A weak cold front tomorrow afternoon will usher in cooler temps and perhaps 1-3" of snow if we're lucky. Another weak storm arrives for Thanksgiving.

Recent Avalanches

No new avalanches were reported from the backcountry yesterday.

Type

Location

Likelihood

Size

Description

The snow is generally stable and the danger is LOW. Pro observer Mark White summited Mount Superior on Thursday and reported the biggest hazard being slide-for-life conditions on nearly all aspects.

Slide for life conditions are conditions where one falls in steep terrain and unable to arrest on the slick crust below. Axes, whippets, crampons, etc can be helpful in these conditions. (Sorta gives a hint to the riding conditions, eh?)

Additional Information

Forecaster's Corner:

With cold and clear conditions, we fear that the entire snowpack in the Provo mountains will start to become weak, sugary (see video below) and unsupportable. In the avalanche world, we say that a thin snowpack is a weak snowpack. This may not bode well for future avalanche conditions whenever we start to see winter storms arrive in earnest.

For the layperson, remember that ingredients for an avalanche often involve strong cohesive snow sitting above weak, sugary snow. Sugary faceted (angular) snow below.

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.

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