Avalanche dangers high after Utah’s heavy snowfall

Map: Utah Avalanche Center

UTAH, Dec. 15, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Avalanche danger is high across parts of Utah Wednesday after heavy snow overnight.

Danger is high for the Salt Lake area mountains, according to the Utah Avalanche Center website.

“Today, we have a high avalanche danger on all steep mid and upper elevation slopes facing west through north through east where fresh wind drifts and new snow sit atop of the weak faceted snow,” the website says. “There is a considerable danger on southerly upper elevation slopes. Stay off of and out from underneath slopes 30° degrees and steeper at the mid and upper elevations. If you trigger an avalanche, it is likely to break down two to four feet deep and up to several hundred feet wide. The remaining aspects and elevations have a moderate danger.”

The website adds: “There are three avalanche problems to watch for: (1) triggering a slab avalanche two to four feet deep in the weak faceted snow, (2) soft slabs of wind drifted snow that would likely steep down into the weak snow below, and (3) sluffing within the new snow.”

In the Logan, Ogden, Uinta, Provo, Skyline and Moab area mountains, danger is considerable.

For more information, click here.

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