Avalanche forecast

Logan

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Highlights

There are areas with heightened avalanche conditions and MODERATE danger in drifted upper-elevation terrain. Large cornice falls are possible, and people could trigger small avalanches of stiff, wind-drifted snow. The snow is stable in sheltered terrain and at low elevations this morning, but rapid warming today will elevate the danger of wet avalanches on sunny slopes.

Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully. Avoid overhanging cornices as they could break further back than expected and could cause an avalanche on the slope below.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    3
    • People should stay off of, out from under, and well away from the edges of large overhanging cornices, which are deceptive and often break much further back than expected.
    • With daytime heating, natural and human-triggered cornice falls are possible today, and these could trigger avalanches on slopes beneath.

    • Stiff slabs of wind-drifted snow exist in some areas, mainly near ridgelines and in and around terrain features like cliff bands, sub-ridges, and gullies.
    • Watch for and avoid stiffer wind-drifted snow on the lee side of major ridges and below cornices.
    • Hard wind slabs sometimes let you get out on them before releasing suddenly.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    Daytime warming and sunshine will cause the snow on solar slopes to become unstable. Natural wet loose and slab avalanches will become increasingly likely as temperatures rise significantly this week.

    • Watch for rollerballs and pinwheels as signs of instability.
    • If you sink up to your ankles in the mushy snow, it is time to move to a cooler aspect or elevation or simply to lower-angle terrain.
    • Stay out from under the large cornices, as the heat will cause them to buckle and some to calve off large, school bus sized chunks.

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Recent Activity

No avalanches were reported over the weekend. Read about all avalanches and observations HERE.

Snow and Weather

This weekend's wind-affected and heavy snow improved riding conditions, but we're not finding nice powder anywhere. Pockets of good conditions better describes the situation as the snow was unevenly distributed, with up to a foot of rimed snow and graupel in some areas, only a few inches in others, and an exposed ski-grabbing breakable zipper crust where winds scoured off all the new snow. We did not observe any significant new avalanches in the Tony Grove Area yesterday, but low clouds, flat light, and periods of sleet or rime kept visibility of high avalanche terrain poor.

Small avalanches of wind-drifted snow and large cornice falls are possible, mainly on slopes facing northwest through southeast in exposed higher-elevation terrain. Expect periods of sun and clouds, and mountain temperatures will rise significantly today, so wet avalanche conditions will likely develop in sunny terrain.

The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400 feet reported 1.2 inches of SWE from the weekend storm, and there is 102 inches of total snow. It's too warm; 35°F this morning, and temperatures stayed above freezing overnight. It's 31° F at the Card Canyon weather station at 8800 feet, with 78 inches of total snow. At 9700 feet at CSI's Logan Peak Wx station, winds are blowing 20 to 30 mph from the west with overnight gusts to 43 mph, and it's 28° F. The winds on Paris Peak at 9500 feet are blowing in the 23 to 32 mph from the west-southwest, and it's 27° F.

Today will be partly sunny with an 8500' high near 44° F. Winds will blow from the west 10 to 15 mph.

Significant warming is expected this week as mountain temperatures could top 60° F on Wednesday. We can expect significant melting and burnoff of sunny slopes at low and mid-elevations. Warm temperatures will elevate the avalanche danger, and wet avalanche activity will become increasingly likely.

The next chance for snow (or rain) showers comes late Thursday and Friday.

For more information, visit the UAC weather page here: Weather - Utah Avalanche Center

For Logan-specific weather, go here: Logan Mountain Weather - Utah Avalanche Center

General Announcements

-National Forest Winter Recreation Travel Maps show where it's open to ride: UWCNF Logan, Ogden LRD Tony Grove, Franklin Basin CTNF Montpelier

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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.

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