ZCZC SLCWRKSNW TTAA00 KSLC 242231 Good afternoon, this is Carol Ciliberti with the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Forecast Center with your avalanche and mountain weather bulletin for the Salt Lake area mountains. Today is Monday February 24 and it's 3:30 pm. This bulletin is brought to you in part by a generous donation to the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center from Uinta Brewing Company; brewers of Cutthroat Pale Ale, King's Peak Porter and Utah's first and finest Hefeweizen, located at 1700 S. 389 W. in SLC. (Provo sponsorship: This recording is made available to you courtesy of BYU Outdoors Unlimited. The information contained in this bulletin is from the U.S.Forest Service which is solely responsible for its content.) (Ogden sponsorship: This recording is made available courtesy of Weber State University Wilderness Recreation Center. The information contained in this bulletin is from the U.S. Forest Service which is solely responsible for its content.) Logan: Banff mountain film festival 2-24 & 25th, 7:00-10:00 at the Taggart student center. Tickets (advanced purchase) $5 & $8 for one or two nights, $7 & $10 at show. $1 Raffle tickets available at Taggert 2-17 - 2-21 for gear, to benefit Lyons, Maas, Muegler scholarship fund to support students oriented towards outdoor leadership and education. Bottom line: Salt Lake, Park City, Provo: low-moderate danger today associated with easterly winds. Odgen, Logan mod-high danger due to strong, sustained E winds. Current Conditions: Upper level flow wrapping around a low pressure system to the south and a NE-SW oriented surface pressure gradient combined to create locally strong winds from the east at many ridgetop locations, and strong canyon winds along the Wasatch Front. The mountains near SLC had a decrease in wind activity around noon, with winds up on Hidden Peak down to about 15 mph from the SE. From the Provo Mountains I have a report of winds sustained near 30 mph since yesterday evening, with a slight decrease around midday. The Ogden area has been exceptionally windy over the past 24 hours, with sustained winds on Ogden Peak of 50-60 mph from midnight to 2 pm today, gusting into the 80's and 90's. Winds gusting out of the canyon bottoms in the Ogden Area have been strong enough to overturn trucks on I-15. The canyon winds are forecast to decrease tonight, but winds aloft will remain moderate in localized areas from the NE through Tuesday night. Avalanche Conditions: Avalanche wise, the most hazard is in the upper elevation terrain which has been exposed to strong easterly winds over the past 24 hours. Previous to this wind event there was plenty of light, dry snow available for transport on NE facing slopes. The lee slopes facing N-NW have a weak recrystallized layer of snow at the surface which makes a poor bond with a new load of wind drifted snow. Areas exposed to the most wind have had slabs forming on the lee sides of terrain features. The slabs reportedly are shallow but quite sensitive, 3-8" deep on average, occurring mostly on W-NW aspects but also cross loading onto N and NE facing slopes. Watch for signs of slabs formation like smooth, rounded pillows of snow, and a dense snow surface that cracks or collapses under your weight. The wind affected areas seem to be quite locallized, with alot of wind damaged snow in some drainages, and no wind affect in others close by. I'm calling the danger of human triggered avalanches moderate this afternoon on upper elevation steep slopes which have been wind affected, with a low danger in wind sheltered areas. Mountain Weather: NEly winds will continue along the high ridgelines tonight and tomorrow as the flow aloft wraps around the upper level low. The winds will be moderate in localized areas, 15-25 mph from the NE with higher gusts possible in the most exposed terrain. Skies will be mostly clear tonight, with temperatures in the mid teens at 10,000' and in the single digits at 8000'. Tomorrow temperatures will warm slightly with mostly sunny skies. Clouds will move in Tuesday night along with a weak front coming in from the north, and the mountains will have a slight chance of snow. The extended shows a better chance of snow late in the week, with a series of short waves moving through N Utah in a moist NWly flow. Snow should start on Thursday and could last into Saturday. More details on the snow pack: To report avalanche activity and snow conditions call us at 524- 5304 (or 1-800-662-4140) This bulletin and a detailed mountain weather forecast is available on the Internet at www.avalanche.org. For information on where the Powderbirds plan on flying, call their recording at 521-6040, extension 5280. This bulletin offers only generalized avalanche information and you are ultimately responsible for your own safety. The Utah Avalanche Center is brought to you by the Forest Service in partnership with the National Weather Service, the State of Utah, Salt Lake County and the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center. Seth Shaw will update this bulletin by 7:30 on Tuesday morning. Thanks for calling. Ciliberti