Utah Avalanche Center begins seasonal updates as early snowpack builds

PARK CITY, Utah — Snow is back in the mountains, which means Utah Avalanche Center’s team is back to providing daily observations and avalanche warnings.

On Wednesday, UAC forecasters Nikki Champion and Brooke Maushund traveled to the Park City ridgeline to assess early-season conditions and share observations as the center begins its seasonal updates.

Snow is beginning to accumulate along the local ridgeline, but Champion reminded backcountry users that early-season coverage can hide hazards shallowly buried beneath the shallow snowpack. Even areas that appear to have enough coverage can contain hazards just below the surface.

On a northeast-facing slope, the forecasters found between 5 and 20 centimeters of snow. Northerly aspects generally had more coverage, while southerly slopes remained relatively bare and brushy.

The snow that has accumulated is continuing to facet, a process in which snow crystals become weaker and more angular. The center’s observations offer an early look at how the foundation for this year’s snowpack is developing, but conditions vary considerably depending on slope aspect and elevation.

The Utah Avalanche Center is a public-nonprofit partnership that issues daily avalanche forecasts for eight regions, with danger ratings ranging from Low to Extreme. The center may also issue avalanche watches, warnings, and special bulletins when conditions warrant.

Avalanches have killed 141 recreational users in Utah since 1940, according to the center, an average of about 2.5 deaths per year. Four people died in avalanches in Utah during an especially treacherous early-spring season in the 2026.