OGDEN, Utah — Anyone heading up to ski, snowboard or just explore Utah's mountain areas over the next few days should be aware that the risk of avalanches is considerable in many locations.
On Tuesday, the Utah Avalanche Center upgraded warnings for a few areas to considerable:
- OGDEN (upper elevations, particularly on steep north to easterly facing aspects)
- PROVO (mid and upper elevations, particularly on steep northwest to easterly facing aspects)
- SKYLINE (avoid being on or below steep slopes in the mid and upper elevations)
- MOAB (most pronounced near treeline and above)
For each of the locations, the chances of human-triggered avalanches are considered likely, especially those that see the most snow and wind during the current storm, according to the center.
The storm moving through Utah on Tuesday and Wednesday isexpected to dump nearly 2 feet of snow in the mountains, with some central mountain areas receiving up to 4 feet.
The center reminded those headed into the backcountry that cracking and collapsing should not be ignored as they are key clues to instability.
