Snow Science Storytellers: How Avalanche Forecasters Communicate Risk

On crisp winter mornings, the Utah Avalanche Center employee responsible for publishing daily public avalanche forecasts in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area arrives at an office near the international airport. There, they drink from the proverbial fire hose, translating raw data into digestible backcountry safety messaging. The task is weighty—failures to communicate where and when avalanches might occur could endanger hundreds, if not thousands, of backcountry skiers.The UAC's director, Mar