Photo Credit: Jay Erickson via Flickr Creative Commons

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Utah is about to get clobbered!

Current forecasts are calling for up to 3 feet of snow in the mountainous areas surrounding Alta, Snowbird, and Park City! A ‘Winter Storm Warning’ is in effect and snow will be accompanied by heavy winds and low temps with the maximum temperature between now and Wednesday evening topping out at 15°F. 

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As a result of that outrageous forecast, an avalanche warning has been issued by the Utah Avalanche Center and skiers and riders are cautioned to avoid slopes over 30º and to use extreme caution while traveling in the backcountry this week. Extreme loading is expected on a variety of weak snow surfaces, which will combine to create a dangerous avalanche recipe.

Related: ‘Know Before You Go’

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Avalanche Warning

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE FOREST SERVICE UTAH AVALANCHE CENTER.

THE FOREST SERVICE UTAH AVALANCHE CENTER IN SALT LAKE CITY HAS ISSUED A BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING.

* TIMING…IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MST THIS MORNING TO 6 AM MST TUESDAY.

* AFFECTED AREA…FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN UTAH INCLUDING THE WASATCH RANGE NEAR OGDEN, SALT LAKE CITY, AND PROVO.

* AVALANCHE DANGER…THE AVALANCHE DANGER FOR THE WARNING AREA WILL BE HIGH TODAY.

* IMPACTS…HEAVY SNOWFALL HAS FALLEN ON A WEAK SNOWPACK CREATING WIDESPREAD AREAS OF UNSTABLE SNOW. TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED. STAY OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDER SLOPES
STEEPER THAN 30 DEGREES.

Photo Credit: NWS Salt Lake City
Photo Credit: NWS Salt Lake City

Wasatch Winter Storm Warning

WASATCH MOUNTAIN VALLEYS-WASATCH MOUNTAINS I-80 NORTH-WASATCH MOUNTAINS SOUTH OF I-80- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…HUNTSVILLE…PARK CITY…HEBER CITY… WOODRUFF…RANDOLPH…ALTA…BRIGHTON
225 AM MST MON DEC 14 2015

…WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM MST TUESDAY…

* AFFECTED AREA…THE WASATCH MOUNTAINS AND THE WASATCH MOUNTAIN VALLEYS OF NORTHERN UTAH.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…6 TO 12 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS WITH 1 TO 3 FEET IN THE MOUNTAINS.

* TIMING…PERIODS OF SNOW…HEAVY AT TIMES…WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY BEFORE TAPERING OFF EARLY TUESDAY EVENING.

* IMPACTS…HAZARDOUS WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS THIS ENTIRE AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL SHOULD PREPARE ACCORDINGLY AND ALLOW FOR EXTRA TIME.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS THAT SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. DRIVING CONDITIONS MAY BE HAZARDOUS. USE CAUTION. KEEP A WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Keep up to date on Utah avalanche conditions here: Utah Avalanche Center

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