Avalanche forecast

Logan

Utah Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline
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Highlights

There is CONSIDERABLE danger; avalanche conditions are dangerous and complex, and a wet, increasingly warm, and windy storm will elevate the danger at all elevations on slopes steeper than 30 degrees.

With dangerous avalanche conditions at all elevations, careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route-finding, and conservative decision-making are essential in the backcountry today.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    3

    Avalanche conditions remain dangerous in the backcountry as preexisting layers of very weak snow were overloaded by last week's heavy snow and drifting. While obvious warning signs like cracking and collapsing are less frequent, a persistent weak layer of faceted snow that formed in the January dry spell remains intact. The sugary weak layer is now buried 2 to 3 feet deep, and the avalanches it can produce are large, destructive, and deadly. As the snow gradually stabilizes, the slab layer thickens, avalanches become harder to trigger, but they may be larger. There are fewer obvious signs of instability, but the consequences of getting caught remain the same.

    • Large, dangerous, and deadly avalanches can be triggered remotely (from a distance or below).
    • Audible collapsing or whumpfs and shooting cracks indicate unstable snow, but may not always be present.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    3

    Winds from the south are fairly strong this morning, and they are expected to intensify a bit this afternoon and tonight. Fresh drifts and soft slabs of wind-drifted snow will rapidly form in lee terrain and in and around exposed terrain features at upper elevations. Fresh drifts will further overload previously formed wind slabs, increasing potential for dangerous hard slab avalanches failing on a persistent weak layer.

    • Slabs of wind-drifted snow will form in and around terrain features like starting zones, sub-ridges, rock outcroppings, gullies, and mid-slope rollovers.
    • Wind slabs of stiffer, drifted snow are rounded and smooth-looking, and they often sound hollow, like a drum.
    • Beware if you cause cracking in stiffer drifted snow. Collapsing or whumpfing is a major indicator of instability.
    • Small wind slab avalanches overrunning a slope with poor snow structure could cause a larger avalanche to occur.
    • Even small avalanches can be quite dangerous if you are carried into trees or other terrain traps below.

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    2

    Temperatures are expected to climb during the storm, and the rain-snow line is expected to climb. Snow is expected above around 6000' initially, but it is likely to change to rain as high as 8000' by this evening. Loose wet and wet slab avalanches may become likely on steep slopes with rain-saturated snow.

Recent Activity

In the Wasatch Mountains, avalanches in the last week killed 3 people, and one is still in critical condition. Reports of numerous other accidents and close calls have come in from across the state. A snowmobiler (on a snowbike) was caught, carried, and fully buried in a very large avalanche Sunday (February 22nd, 2026) afternoon in the upper reaches of Caribou Basin of Snake Creek well above the town of Midway, Utah. Initial rescue efforts were hampered as there was no signal from an avalanche transceiver...and the victim's body was recovered Monday morning by Wasatch County SAR teams. Initial accident report. Sadly, two other fatal avalanche accidents occurred last week nearby in the Wasatch Range: Ant Knolls and Rock Garden.

It's been active locally as well, and for all observations and avalanche activity in the Logan Zone, go HERE. On Saturday, riders triggered a couple of large hard slab avalanches in the Three Terraces area in upper Providence Canyon. The video account is below:

Snow and Weather

Today, it's still likely that a person could trigger a dangerous slab avalanche failing on a persistent weak layer that is buried 2 to 3 feet deep. These are most likely on drifted mid and upper-elevation slopes, primarily those facing northwest through east. Heavy snowfall and drifting by increasing winds from the south will elevate the potential for avalanches of wind-drifted storm snow in exposed terrain, and rising temperatures, with Rain on Snow, may create dangerous wet avalanche conditions in lower and mid-elevation terrain.

No need to sidehill the steep gully walls or step out into bigger terrain, as there is good powder riding on low-angle slopes and in open meadows, well away from avalanche terrain and out from under steep slopes. Avalanches can be triggered from a distance, and they can be triggered from the flats below steep slopes. In several of the recent avalanche accidents in Utah, the deadly slides were likely triggered from far below. Staying disciplined with terrain choices—keeping slope angles under 30 degrees and avoiding runouts—remains the best and safest way to enjoy these conditions right now.

Currently, at 8700 feet, the UAC Card Canyon station reports 33°F, and there's 53 inches of total snow. The Tony Grove Snotel, located at 8400 feet, reports 36°F, and there's 64 inches of total snow. Winds on Logan Peak are blowing from the south-southwest around 30 mph with gusts to 51 mph.It's 23°F on Paris Peak at 9500 feet, and the wind is blowing 30 to 40 mph from the south-southwest.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the northern part of the Logan Zone through Wednesday. Snow is expected today, and it could be heavy at times, with 5 to 9 inches of heavy snow possible up high in the Northern Bear River Range today and another 4 to 8 inches possible tonight. Snow is likely initially above about 6000' in elevation, but with rising temperatures and rain-snow line expected today. Fairly strong winds from the south and southwest will rapidly drift the storm snow. Snow is expected to continue tomorrow, with 3 to 5 additional inches of accumulation and stout winds blowing out of the west.

Additional Info

  • Travel with a partner, and cross or ride slopes steeper than 30 degrees one at a time while the rest of your group watches from a safe spot.
  • Ensure that everyone in the group has avalanche rescue equipment (a transceiver, probe, and shovel) and knows how to use it.

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  • Although the weekend has passed, dangerous avalanche conditions still exist in the backcountry. The video below shows recent avalanche activity in the Logan Zone...

    There are a few different types of now-buried persistent weak layers formed in January. Paige explains in the video about weak snow below:

Join the UAC for the first "Stay and Play Avalanche Course" at Bear River Lodge in the Uintas, March 19th-22nd. This course is designed for snowmobilers by snowmobilers, where you will learn avalanche rescue, riding skills, and how to survive in the backcountry. Come enjoy all the luxury offerings at Bear River Lodge and improve your skills along the way.

For all questions on forecasts, education, Know Before You Go, events, online purchases, or fundraising, call 801-365-5522.

Did you know the UAC hosts a podcast? Episode 2 of Season IX is just out - AI, Machine Learning, and the Value of Expert Intuition at the Utah Avalanche Center.

Are you interested in learning more about avalanches? Visit our education page for details on all our classes.

For more information, visit the UAC weather page here: UAC Weather Page For Logan-specific weather, go here: Logan Mountain Weather

-Remember, the information you provide could save lives, especially if you see or trigger an avalanche. To report an avalanche or submit an observation from the backcountry, go HERE

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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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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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