Avalanche forecast

Ogden

Issued Dec 17, 2021valid to Dec 18, 2021Utah Avalanche Center

Avalanche danger

Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline

Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

There is a CONSIDERABLE avalanche danger on slopes steeper than 30° at the mid and upper elevations on aspects facing northwest through north and east where recent storm snow and wind-blown snow has overloaded a layer of faceted snow down near the ground. Avalanches may break down 2' deep and propagate over a hundred feet wide.

There is a Moderate danger on upper elevation aspects facing west through southeast as well as mid elevation westerly aspects where you may encounter fresh wind drifts or sluffing in the low-density storm snow. southwest through southeast aspects at the mid elevations as well as all low elevation slopes have a Low danger.

Fortunately, several days of regular snowfall, cold temperatures, and a low sun angle are providing excellent riding conditions on southerly aspects as well as lower-angled slopes on northerly aspects that are not below or connected to steeper slopes.

Avalanche problems

Persistent Slabs
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NW
Alpine
Treeline
Below treeline
Likelihood
Likely
Size
3
Dangerous avalanche conditions exist on mid and upper elevation slopes steeper than 30° on aspects facing northwest through east where up to 2' of storm snow and wind-blown snow over the past 9 days have overloaded weak, faceted snow (a persistent weak layer, or PWL) in the bottom of the snowpack. Avalanches may break down 2-3' deep and propagate hundreds of feet wide. The photo below is from the Salt Lake mountains but still illustrates this structure found on mid and upper elevation northerly slopes in the Ogden mountains.

Avalanches may be triggered remotely (from a distance) and may break well above you. Existing tracks are no indication of stability. What concerns me is that the snowpack is slowly becoming a little less reactive - perhaps fewer collapses, maybe fewer remotely-triggered avalanches - providing a false sense of a stable snowpack. Don't be lulled into this sort of thinking - conditions are dangerous on aspects where the PWL is present.

My advice is simple: do not travel on or underneath slopes steeper than 30° at the mid and upper elevations on slopes facing northwest through north and east.

Recent Activity

No backcountry avalanches were reported from Thursday, although there was widespread avalanche activity on Wednesday and Thursday in the Salt Lake mountains. Observations from Thursday include:

- Powder Mountain backcountry

- Cutler Ridge

Snow and Weather

Currently: Skies are overcast and a few additional inches of snow fell overnight. Winds are out of the west/northwest and are averaging in the teens with gusts in the 20's mph at mid elevations, with gusts in the 30's at the highest ridges. . Temperatures range through the mid teens.

For today, temperatures will climb into the teens and the west/northwest winds will slowly diminish throughout the day, averaging in the low teens with gusts in the 20's and 30's mph along mid-and upper elevation ridges. We may pick up a trace to a few inches of snow this morning before skies begin to clear out ahead of a weekend of sunshine.

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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.

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