Heavy snow in southern mountains prompts avalanche warnings
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Remnants of the atmospheric river that drenched southern California, causing dozens of mudslides, are washing over southern Utah, dumping heavy snow on the mountains and raising concern over avalanches.
On Tuesday, the National Weather Service issued avalanche warnings for ranges in southwestern Utah, including the Tushars and the areas near Cedar City. The alert is set to last until early Thursday morning.
Widespread valley rain and mountain snow through midweek
Mark Staples, the director of the Forest Service Utah Avalanche Center, told ABC4 that the dense and heavy snow falling over the next 48 hours will add weight on top of the weak layers in the snowpack.
“[The area] is going to get pummeled tonight,” Staples said. “There have been avalanches happening down there already. So, with more snow and southwest winds, they are going to continue to happen.”
Along with an avalanche warning, a winter storm warning is also in effect for the southern mountains. These moisture-rich atmospheric river remnants will blow over the state in waves into Thursday morning.
ABC4 chief meteorologist Alana Brophy said the southern mountains could see between 15 and 30 inches of fresh snow by the time skies clear heading into Friday.
The wintry weather has UDOT urging drivers to be cautious along the I-15 corridor in central and southern Utah. Mountain routes could see snow on the roads, making travel treacherous.
Outside of southern Utah, winter storm warnings are also in effect for the central mountains, the western Uintas, and the Wasatch Range. The mountains of northern Utah will be under a winter weather advisory, as less snow is expected there.
According to the Utah Avalanche Center, the avalanche danger is “considerable” along the Wasatch Front, in the Uintas and near Moab. The threat is expected to increase later into the week.
Staples, with the Utah Avalanche Center, said Utahns can still enjoy the snow in the mountains over the next few days, but he urged skiers and other recreators to choose more conservative, low-angle terrain.
“Save the really steep and more ambitious objective for another day,” he said.
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