I will issue an AVALANCHE WATCH for Saturday through Monday. We expect that significant new snow will overload the existing weak snow and produce widespread avalanche activity. We will likely issue an AVALANCHE WARNING on Saturday morning.

We will issue forecasts each morning by 7:30 for the remainder of the season.

We have weak snow on the ground and this weekend we're going to slam a big slab down on top of it. You won't see too many people in the backcountry today crazy enough to brave the thin snow and dodge rocks, but you can bet they will be avalanche geeks like me. We like to map the pattern distribution of the pre-existing snow before a big storm hits because that's the only way to know where it's going to slide and where it won't once the storm starts to rage. I went out yesterday and this is what I found:

This is an aspect-elevation rose. Numbers indicate elevations.

I will publish a blog later today with more details about the preexisting snow including a video and snow profiles.

Although no significant avalanche activity has occurred since last weekend, you can get a preview of what you will find this coming weekend by looking at the activity from last weekend, which you can find HERE.

We expect a major winter storm this weekend with 1-3 feet of snow by Monday night. Snow should start in the mountains Saturday morning with a warm front, bringing the rain-snow line up to around 8,000'. Dense snow and high wind should reach a maximum on Saturday afternoon and evening with gusts up to 60 mph from the west and about a foot of new snow. When cold air arrives Saturday evening, the snow line should drop to near the valley floor and we should have some periods of nice, cold, northwest flow through Sunday and Monday, which could bring us another couple feet of snow in the Cottonwood Canyons.

The extended forecast calls for scattered showers on Tuesday and then warming and clearing into Thanksgiving Day.

Check out a couple other excellent summaries of this storm:
National Weather Service Mountain Weather Briefing by Brian McInerny

Wasatch Weather Weenies by Jim Steenburg

Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

If you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry - especially if you are adjacent to a ski area – please call the following teams to alert them to the slide and whether anyone is missing or not. Rescue teams can be exposed to significant hazard when responding to avalanches, and do not want to do so when unneeded. Thanks.

Salt Lake and Park City – Alta Central (801-742-2033), Canyons Resort Dispatch (435-615-3322)

Snowbasin Resort Dispatch (801-620-1017), Powder Mountain Dispatch (801-745-3772 x 123).

Sundance Dispatch (801-223-4150)

EMAIL ADVISORY  If you would like to get the daily advisory by email you will need to subscribe here.​ 

DAWN PATROL Hotline updated daily by 5-530am - 888-999-4019 option 8.

Twitter Updates for your mobile phone - DETAILS

UDOT canyon closures:  LINK TO UDOT

Utah Avalanche Center mobile app - Get your advisory on your iPhone along with great navigation and rescue tools.

Wasatch Powderbird Guides Blog/Itinerary for the Day.  

Lost or Found something in the backcountry? - http://nolofo.com/

Ski Utah mobile snow updates

Discount lift tickets will soon be available at Backcountry.com - Thanks to Ski Utah and the Utah Resorts.  All proceeds go towards paying for Utah Avalanche Center avalanche and mountain weather advisories.

To those skinning uphill at resorts:  it is your responsibility to know the resort policy on uphill travel.  Some allow uphill travel and have guidelines, some don't. Contact the Ski Patrol at each resort for details. IMPORTANT: Before skinning at a resort under new snow conditions, check in with Ski Patrol.  Resorts can restrict or cut off access if incompatible with control and grooming operations.

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you shop from Backcountry.com or REI:  Click this link for Backcountry.com or this link to REI, shop, and they will donate a percent of your purchase price to the UAC.  Both offer free shipping (with some conditions) so this costs you nothing!

Benefit the Utah Avalanche Center when you buy or sell on ebay - set the Utah Avalanche Center as a favorite non-profit in your ebay account here and click on ebay gives when you buy or sell.  You can choose to have your seller fees donated to the UAC, which doesn't cost you a penny.

This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done.  This advisory is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.