Cottonwood Canyons
Weather DashboardTM
Updated March 28 @ 8:20 am

Summary

Cottonwood Canyons

March 28 @ 8:20 am

Learn how you can have Alexa read this report to you.

Current Conditions

At 8:00 am, the temperature near the top of Brighton's Crest chairlift was 23 degrees. Winds on Cardiff Peak are averaging 20 mph out of the south-southwest with gusts to 41. In the last 36 hours, the snow depth midway up Solitude's Summit chairlift has decreased 6 inches. In the last week, the depth has increased 11 inches.

Forecast Conditions

The forecast says that today, from 5:00 am to 5:00 pm, there is a 70 percent chance of 7 to 11 inches of snow and a 30 percent chance of 5 and a half to 7 inches. The daytime high temperature will be 37 degrees. There is a 20 percent chance of lightning. And from 5:00 pm today until 5:00 am tomorrow, there is an 80 percent chance of 1 to 4 inches of snow and a 20 percent chance of 0 to 1 inch. The nighttime low temperature will be 20 degrees.

Total snowfall of 8 to 16 inches is forecast for the current storm which began at approximately 6 am today and is forecast to end at 6 am tomorrow. Total water in this storm is expected to be 0.6 to 1.2 inches.

Avalanche Forecast

The Utah Avalanche Center's avalanche forecast for the Salt Lake area on Thursday, March 28, says, "This morning, there is MODERATE avalanche danger on all aspects at mid and upper elevations, where human-triggered soft slab avalanches are possible. Throughout the day, the incoming storm may cause avalanche danger to rise to CONSIDERABLE at all upper-elevation slopes, where periods of heavy snowfall and strong winds could create dangerous avalanche conditions. The elevated winds will continue to form unstable slabs of wind-drifted snow at all mid and upper elevations. Both loose snow and slab avalanches may be possible within the different layers of new snow from the past week. During periods of higher snowfall rates (greater than 1 inch per hour), avalanches will be easier to trigger. If the snowfall rates spike, the avalanche danger will spike as well. Watch for any signs of instability such as cracking and sluffing."

News Alerts

Cottonwood Canyons

March 28 @ 8:20 am

No road alerts or backcountry closures were detected.

View UDOT Cottonwood Canyon tweets.

12/24-Hour Forecast

Cottonwood Canyons

March 28 @ 2:11 am

5:00 am - 5:00 pm 5:00 pm - 5:00 am

70% chance of
7 to 11 inches

(0.55" to 0.80" of H2O)

30% chance of
5.5 to 7 inches

(0.40" to 0.55" of H2O)

80% chance of
1 to 4 inches

(0.05" to 0.30" of H2O)

20% chance of
0 to 1 inch

Snow showers will start to develop over the mountains of northern Utah this morning ahead of an approaching cold front... Total snowfall of 8 to 16 inches is forecast for the current storm which began at approximately 6 am today and is forecast to end...

7-Day Forecast

Cottonwood Canyons

March 28 @ 2:11 am

Today: Snow showers before 3pm, then snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Cloudy. High near 28, with temperatures falling to around 23 in the afternoon. Wind chill values as low as 7. Southwest wind 20 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 8 to 12 inches possible.


Tonight: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy. Low around 14, with temperatures rising to around 16 overnight. Wind chill values as low as 5. Northwest wind 8 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.


Friday: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Wind chill values as low as 6. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of around one inch possible.


Friday Night: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. South southwest wind 13 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.


Saturday: Snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 26. Southwest wind 16 to 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.


Saturday Night: Snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.


Sunday: Snow showers. Cloudy, with a high near 26. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches possible.


Sunday Night: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. New snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches possible.


Monday: Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.


Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.


Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 34.


Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23.


Wednesday: A slight chance of snow showers after noon. Sunny, with a high near 39.


Wednesday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.


Avalanche Forecast

Salt Lake

March 28 @ 4:51 am

Considerable Hazard

Current Temperature

Alta
Guard House

March 28 @ 8:00 am

Brighton's Crest

March 28 @ 8:00 am

24-Hour Wind

Cardiff Peak Wind

March 28 @ 8:00 am

48-Hour Snow Depth

Alta's Collins

March 28 @ 8:00 am

Solitude's Summit

March 28 @ 7:00 am

Current depth: 165"
Change in 12 hours: -2"
Change in 24 hours: -5"
Change in 48 hours: -2"

Current depth: 106"
Change in 12 hours: -2"
Change in 24 hours: -5"
Change in 48 hours: N/A

30-Day Snow Depth

Alta's Collins

March 28 @ 8:00 am

Solitude's Summit

March 28 @ 7:00 am

Current depth: 165"
Change in 1 week: 18"
Change in 2 weeks: 7"
Change in 4 weeks: 22"
(Some depths questionable.)

Current depth: 106"
Change in 1 week: 11"
Change in 2 weeks: -5"
Change in 4 weeks: 8"
(Some depths questionable.)

Radar

NOAA Radar

March 28 @ 8:10 am

Avalanche Rescue

Training Resources

 

 

Cameras

Tap sides of photo to change cameras.
View these additional cameras:
Brighton, Snowbird, Solitude and UDOT.

Annual SWE Comparison

Snow Water Equivalents
(Brighton)

March 28

More Info

Do Something?

A gondola? Reduced bus service? Interconnect? Do you give a shit or are you just another a selfish consumer? Stop the gondola.

Avalanche Rescue

Be a good partner. Visit AvyRescue.com and watch the videos.

The Backcountry Guide

The Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Guide provides information on hundreds of backcountry ski locations .

Amazon Alexa

Learn how you can have Alexa, Amazon's talking assistant, read this report to you.

The Backcountry Map

The Wasatch Backcountry Skiing Map is available on your desktop, on your mobile device, and as waterproof and wall maps.

The Inclinometer

Check out Steve's Badass Avalanche Inclinometer.

Your Cottonwood Canyon weather report. Covering Big Cottonwood Canyon (Brighton and Solitude), Little Cottonwood Canyon (Snowbird and Alta), and the Central Wasatch Backcountry.
All profits from the sale of Steve's backcountry map are donated to organizations that promote avalanche safety or the preservation of the Wasatch mountains.
Some weather observations were aggregated by Synoptic Data.