SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – The Utah Avalanche Center issued a Special avalanche bulletin on Saturday, Dec. 14, to warn of “significant” avalanche danger in some northern Utah mountains. Here’s what that means.

The special bulletin went into effect at 6 a.m. on December 14 and is expected to last until 6 a.m. on Monday, December 16. Affected mountains include the Wasatch Range, the Western Uinta Mountains and the Bear River Range, the avalanche center said.

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“We want to tell people not to be on or under steep slopes on the north side of the Compass,” Drew Hardesty, avalanche forecaster with the Utah Avalanche Center, told ABC4.com.

Due to heavy snowfall and strong winds, significant avalanche danger is expected to exist on higher slopes in the northwest, north, northeast and east directions above 9,500 feet and moderate avalanche danger at elevations of 8,000 to 9,500 feet.

The avalanche center said up to 30 cm of snow had fallen on some mountains in the last 36 hours. An approaching storm is expected to bring snow to the mountains throughout Saturday and Sunday.

“Keep in mind that sometimes we can trigger these avalanches remotely – that means (people) can potentially trigger them from a distance or even from below,” Hardesty said. “Very difficult conditions out there.”

Hardesty said avalanches rarely happen without warning: “The snowpack talks to you.”

He said recreationists might see avalanches or shooting cracks or hear “audible, thunderous collapses in the snowpack.” He also said backcountry skiers and snowboarders should be prepared to conduct their own rescue operations.

To stay up to date on current avalanche conditions, Hardesty recommended taking a look at the Avalanche Center website every morning.

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Here are some things you should know about this weekend’s avalanche conditions.

What does “significant” danger mean?

Avalanche danger is classified into five levels: Low, Medium, Considerable, High and Extreme. The danger level this weekend is moderate to severe.

Significant danger means “dangerous avalanche conditions” – where natural avalanches are possible and human-triggered avalanches are likely.

Moderate danger means “increased avalanche conditions in certain terrain features,” with natural avalanches unlikely while human-caused avalanches are possible, according to the avalanche center.

“Most avalanche accidents occur when there is considerable danger, as this is where the maximum interaction between people and the avalanche takes place,” explains the avalanche center.

Special avalanche bulletin vs. avalanche watch

The Utah Avalanche Center issues three levels of public notices: a special avalanche bulletin, an avalanche warning and an avalanche warning.

A special avalanche bulletin (issued Dec. 14) is used when “dangerous avalanche conditions combined with large numbers of people in the mountains are expected,” the avalanche center said.

If dangerous avalanche conditions are expected in the next 24-48 hours, an avalanche warning will be issued.

Avalanche watches are usually followed by avalanche warnings, the center said. Warnings are issued when “there are currently very dangerous avalanche conditions and travel in avalanche areas is not recommended or should be avoided entirely.”

Special announcements are used to inform the public about avalanche closures from UDOT, ski resorts and other “relevant events that may be of interest to people.”

Matthew Drachman contributed to this report.

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