Avalanche risk likely to increase, storms keep coming through the weekend

SALT LAKE CITY — Snow forecast for the mountains along the Wasatch Front this week is expected to increase avalanche danger in the backcountry. On average, Utah experiences 25 to 40 winter storms annually that can pose avalanche risk.

"We've got heavy, heavy snow headed to the mountains over the next several days," said KSL meteorologist Kevin Eubank. "Now with the added snow, incredibly elevated avalanche danger. There's no reason to go to the backcountry."

Eubank said parts of northern Utah will experience continued snowfall throughout Thursday while Salt Lake Valley will mostly see rain. A break in the storm is expected on Friday and more snow should be expected up until early next week.

"We've got a moisture stream that's going to line up storm after storm after storm coming right on into the end of the week, into the weekend and even to the first part of next week," he said. Temperatures are expected to remain in the low-40s throughout the daytime and mid-30s in the evening.

The Utah Department of Transportation — the agency that provides avalanche safety control measures — warned outdoor enthusiasts that the risk of potentially deadly snow slides is especially high due to the lack of snow base so far this season.

"The combination of what we have here is likely to produce avalanches with a relative small amount of new snow," said Liam Fitzgerald, UDOT director for Highway Avalanche Safety.

An avalanche warning went into effect Wednesday as several feet of snow is expected to fall in the mountains of northern and central Utah, along with the western Uinta Mountains over the next few days.

"We've got a big storm coming with strong winds," said Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Evelyn Lees.

The new snow expected this week could overload an already loose and weak snowpack, she said.

"It's going to be like putting a frying pan on top of potato chips," Lees said.

To illustrate the point, she noted that on Tuesday, a UAC forecaster shot video of a slide triggered in the western Uintas that was 3 feet deep and 125 feet wide. A cautionary tale of the hazard that already exists.

"It would have been very serious if anyone had been in it, but they triggered it from a very safe place," Lees explained. "But that's indicative of what we'll be dealing with when we get more snow.