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NORTHERN UTAH -- There is growing concern over the potential for avalanches this weekend as a powerful winter storm takes aim at northern Utah Saturday.
Utah Avalanche Center Director Bruce Tremper says the state is already seeing hundreds of avalanches and three snared skiers Thursday. All survived.
"Things are quite dangerous and continue to be very dangerous today, and they should continue to be dangerous Saturday and into Sunday," Tremper told KSL.
An avalanche warning is in effect for all the mountains of Utah. The Utah Avalanche Center is advising inexperienced skiers to stick to resorts. Skiers with avalanche certification should avoid slopes greater than 30 degrees.
Saturday's storm is promising wet, heavy snow, which Tremper says is problematic with a weakening snowpack beneath.
Another reason avalanche danger is so high is the wind. Powerful winds left a trail of debris in Utah County overnight and continue to be a danger in Utah's canyons.
Avalanche experts say the wind can deposit snow on a mountain top 10 times faster than falling snow. They predicted strong winds, combined with a weak and fragile snowpack, would also create dangerous conditions in the backcountry all weekend.
"A lot of wind piling a lot of weight of snow on top of that very fragile snow, and it just can't support the weight so it's just fracturing. When avalanches break out, they break out in these big slabs. They shatter like a pane of glass," said Tremper.
Authorities say wind was not a primary factor in the avalanche Friday afternoon but has made avalanche danger high.
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Story compiled with contributions from Andrew Adams and Anne Forester.
