Boletín de aludes

Ogden

Publicado el Feb 17, 2022válido hasta el Feb 18, 2022Utah Avalanche Center

Peligro de aludes

Alta montaña
Límite del bosque
Bajo el límite del bosque

Desactualizado: este boletín caducó 5 years ago. Estás viendo condiciones pasadas, no el boletín vigente.

Lo esencial

The snowpack is generally stable and the avalanche danger is LOW. Two concerns are (1) fresh slab of wind drifted snow at all upper elevations. These wind slabs will be generally shallow and isolated to terrain features that allow for drifting snow to accumulate, and (2) loose snow avalanches and minor sluffing within the new snow in steep wind-sheltered zones.

Remember that even a small avalanche can be problematic in very steep and complicated terrain. Think about the terrain you are traveling above today.

Problemas de aludes

Wind Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alta montaña
Límite del bosque
Bajo el límite del bosque
Probabilidad
Unlikely
Tamaño
1
The new snow combined with increasing northwest winds should create some soft slabs of wind drifted snow at upper elevations, and even some mid-elevation terrain features such as sub-ridges and gullies. These wind slabs will be shallow and overall small in size, but these new wind drifts are sitting atop of weak faceted snow or a firm snow surface, which will make them very sensitive and cause them to run far and fast. Even a small avalanche would be enough to knock a person off their feet and through complex terrain.

Look for any slopes with signs of wind drifted snow, and avoiding those slopes. Wind-affected snow often looks wavy, rounded, pillowy, and can sound hollow when walking or riding on it.
Storm Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alta montaña
Límite del bosque
Bajo el límite del bosque
Probabilidad
Unlikely
Tamaño
1
Since Tuesday night, the Ogden area got anywhere between 4-5 inches of light snow that has fallen on an array of snow surfaces in the backcountry. In areas sheltered from the northwest winds, I would expect to continue seeing shallow new snow avalanches today. The primary concern will be fast-running sluffs in steep terrain. Any area that still held any lingering weak, faceted snow before the storm will be more suspect for some shallow soft slabs to begin forming. Remember that even a small avalanche can be problematic in very steep and complicated terrain. Think about the terrain you are traveling above today. The snow on southerly facing slopes shouldn't heat up too much today to cause many wet avalanches, but pay attention to changing conditions and be prepared to alter your plans if you see the snow heating up and becoming wet.

Recent Activity

Yesterday, ski resorts and backcountry travelers reported easy sluffing and loose dry avalanches within the new snow, and small soft slab avalanches up high in the wind zone.

Snow and Weather

It is a nice change of pace to finally be able to report some snow totals. Since Tuesday evening, 4-5 inches of new snow has fallen.

This morning: Under mostly clear skies, snowfall has stopped and temperatures are in the low teens F at trailheads and in the single digits at ridgelines. Winds from the northwest are averaging 5-15 mph gusting to the mid-20s at mid-elevations, at upper elevation ridgelines wind speeds are averaging 20-25 mph with gusts near 30 mph.

Today: Skies will become sunny, and the Northwest winds will continue to increase throughout the day. Expect mountain temperatures to climb into the teens and low 20s F. The northwest winds will average 5-15 mph, with gusts up to 25 at mid-elevations. At upper elevation ridgelines, the winds will average 20-30 mph and gust up to 45 mph this afternoon, and increasing this evening.

Looking ahead: The rest of the week and weekend will have dry and cool weather. Another storm should arrive late Sunday night or early Monday morning. This one looks more promising.

Yesterday's storm capped a wide variety of snow surfaces which will determine future avalanche conditions as more new snow accumulates. There is an incredible amount of variability in the old snow surface which consists of weak facets, crusts of varying thicknesses and hardnesses, wind-eroded and sculped snow, and some areas are simply covered in tracks.

Tuesday Drew was on Reynolds peak and provided a good summary of snow surface conditions in his observation HERE. The snow surfaces in the Central Wasatch, are very similar to those of the Ogden area.

The challenge in the future is that having such a wide variety of snow surfaces means there will be a wide variety of stability from slope to slope and the pattern will be complex and tricky to map. With more cold temperatures in the forecast, the new snowfall from yesterday may begin to weaken and facet at the surface, continuing to add to the wide variety covering the range. Pay attention to the changing snow surfaces before the next storm system.

General Announcements

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This information does not apply to developed ski areas or highways where avalanche control is normally done. This forecast is from the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. This forecast describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur.

Observations and Avalanches

Backcountry Emergency Procedures