This week’s record-breaking heat could pose a new avalanche threat for those still trying to cling to winter activities in the mountains for as long as possible.
The Utah Avalanche Center issued a special bulletin on Thursday, warning that the temperatures could produce “wet avalanches” throughout the next few days. Wet avalanches occur when water from melting snow causes the snowpack to buckle, creating an avalanche, as noted by avalanche.org.
While valley communities across the state are expected to reach the upper 70s to mid-90s over the next few days, high temperatures are also forecast to reach the low 60s in high-elevation areas such as Alta and Brighton. Some Utah resorts also expect to have temperatures near 70.
National Weather Service hydrologists warned this week that snowmelt is likely even in areas above 10,000 feet elevation.
“Record-breaking warm temperatures will rapidly destabilize the snowpack across the state, increasing the likelihood of widespread, spontaneous, destructive wet avalanches,” Utah Avalanche Center officials wrote on social media, adding that these types of avalanches can occur at all elevations and all topographies.
Their advisory continues through at least early Monday. The agency advises people to avoid traveling on or below steep slopes throughout that time.
The warm temperatures are already taking a bite out of Utah’s snowpack. Utah’s average snowpack fell to 7.4 inches of snow-water equivalent on Wednesday, down a full inch from its current peak on March 8, according to Natural Resources Conservation Service data.